


Iron and Sorcery

by warriorofculture



Category: SpongeBob SquarePants (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, Mild Blood, Minor Character Death, mild violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:13:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 103,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25585720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/warriorofculture/pseuds/warriorofculture
Summary: Spongebob and Patrick are trapped inside a video game, and all the characters look suspiciously familiar...
Relationships: SpongeBob SquarePants/Squidward Tentacles
Comments: 42
Kudos: 71





	1. Chapter 1

“Hey, Patrick!” Spongebob waved at his best friend.

“Hey, buddy,” Patrick greeted. He was standing outside his rock.

“Are ya ready to go to the game store with me?”

“Why are we going?”

“To get the new game, remember?”

Patrick grew thoughtful. “Hmm… I don’t remember, but I’ll go with ya.” He stepped away from his rock and followed Spongebob.

A short walk later, they arrived at the game store. Spongebob looked around. “Huh, wonder why there aren’t any lines here. I was sure the new game was going to be very popular.”

“Can I help you gentlemen?”

Spongebob turned towards the sound of the voice and found himself facing an employee. “Yes, sir,” Spongebob replied. “I’d like a copy of the new game—”

“ _Iron and Sorcery_?” The employee guessed.

“How’d you know?”

“I’ve been selling it all day,” the employee answered. “You’re getting the last copy.”

“Wow, has it been that popular?”

“Yeah, you should’ve been here when the game launched at midnight. Everyone was lined up around the block.”

“Whoa.” Spongebob’s eyes widened as he imagined the scene.

“Come on over to the register and I’ll ring you up.” The employee led the way to the front of the store, where he picked up a case from the shelf behind the counter.

Spongebob trotted over and paid for the game. Once he was handed a bag containing the game, he thanked the employee and turned around to look for his best friend. “Patrick?” he called out. “Patrick, it’s time to go.”

The pink starfish emerged from an aisle, though he was completely tangled with several cords and wires. “Help, Spongebob,” he whined.

Spongebob sighed. “How did you even do that?” He crossed the sales floor to Patrick’s side, then studied the mass of cords covering him.

“I dunno,” Patrick replied as Spongebob carefully pulled on a cord. “These things just started attacking me.”

“Cords can’t attack you, Patrick.” The sea sponge tugged on the cords in a few other places, then gave one a sharp pull, causing all the cords to drop to the floor. “Now can we go?”

“Sure, buddy.” Patrick smiled as he followed Spongebob once again.

When they got to Spongebob’s home, the little sponge pulled a gaming console from his closet and hooked it up to the TV. “I haven’t played this thing in a long time,” he explained to Patrick as he plugged in the proper cords. “But it shouldn’t be too hard learning how to play the game.”

“Uh-huh.” Patrick meandered off for the kitchen. “I’m starving, what do you have to eat around here, Spongebob?”

“I have a couple leftover Krabby Patties in the fridge,” Spongebob answered, not looking up. “I thought we could heat them up and eat ‘em for lunch.”

“Alright!” Patrick sped up his pace and disappeared into the kitchen.

Spongebob finished setting up the console, which he opened. He then took out the game from the bag, opened the plastic case and removed the disc. The disc was then placed in the console, and Spongebob closed the lid before turning it, and the TV, on. “C’mon, Patrick, it’s starting up!” he called.

“Mmf, comin’.” Patrick ran back into the living room and plopped down beside his best friend. His mouth was full of food, and he swallowed it before taking the controller offered to him.

“Did you eat your Krabby Patty?” Spongebob asked.

“Uh-huh.” Patrick nodded vigorously. “They sure were delicious… but would’ve been better if they were hot.”

Spongebob thought over Patrick’s words. “Wait, ‘they’? Patrick, you didn’t eat both of them, did you?”

“Well, duh, Spongebob, I didn’t want to leave the other one all by its lonesome.”

Spongebob sighed. “I guess I’ll eat something later.” He returned his attention to the TV, which was currently showing the title screen of their game. “Right now, we should check out _Iron and Sorcery_!”

“Woo-hoo!” Patrick cheered.

Spongebob pressed the Start button on his controller, which took them to a character selection screen. “Ooh, check it out, Patrick,” Spongebob marvelled. “We can pick our character class and everything.”

“What’s a character class?”

“That’s the kind of special abilities the character has,” Spongebob explained. “You can be a knight with a sword, or a mage who casts spells, or a person who uses music to fight, or…” he glanced at the screen. “Oh, you can be a Viking, too!”

“Ooh, lemme pick that one, I wanna be that one!” Patrick waved his arms in excitement.

“Okay, and I’ll be, umm… a knight.” Spongebob selected his character, then helped Patrick choose his.

The TV showed an opening sequence, one Spongebob could barely understand and Patrick didn’t even try to follow. “When do we start playing?” Patrick asked.

“In just a minute,” Spongebob answered. “They’re showing us why we’re playing in this game. Usually we’ve gotta save a kingdom from some villain, or—”

“Villain?!” Patrick looked shocked. “You mean we can be superheroes? I wanna be Barnacle Boy!”

“No, Patrick, this is different.” Spongebob held his controller in one hand and gestured to the TV with his other. “This is fantasy, you know, like when we went to the joust at Medieval Moments.”

“Oh yeah, that was fun.” Patrick smiled at him.

Spongebob looked at the TV again. “Hey, they’re almost done!” He focused his attention on the game. “Let’s get ready to have some fun!”

“Yeah!”

Just as the opening scene ended, a bright white light washed over the screen and enveloped the room, causing the two best friends to squeeze their eyes closed. When they opened them, they realised they were no longer sitting, but rather standing. Instead of the familiar walls of Spongebob’s house, they now found themselves in a large forest.

Spongebob looked around. “Where are we?” he asked.

“I dunno,” Patrick replied from behind him, “but there are some funny squiggle things above your head.”

“Huh?” Spongebob looked up. It was difficult to see from his angle, but there was a short rectangular bar hovering above his head, with numbers positioned above it. “What is that?”

“Do I have the squiggles over my head, too?”

“I dunno, lemme check.” Spongebob turned around to look at his best friend and gasped. “Patrick!”

“What?”

“Y- Y- You… Wh- What are you wearing?”

“My shorts,” Patrick replied, “like I always do… unless I forgot to put ‘em on. Did I forget again?”

Spongebob shook his head, momentarily speechless. Instead of his usual green-and-purple shorts, Patrick was wearing the leather armour of a Viking warrior, complete with a large round shield on his left arm and a horned helmet on his head. About a foot above that, a short green rectangle sat, with numbers just above it, along with a name Spongebob didn’t recognise.

The sea sponge squinted as he attempted to read the name: “Thorstein?”

“Huh?” Patrick blinked.

“That’s what it says above your green bar.” Spongebob pointed. “It says, ‘Thorstein’, and underneath that, 50/50, and the green bar at the bottom. Is there something like that above my head?”

“Uh-huh.” Patrick nodded. “Uh, it says, uh… ah-zeh-mar?”

“Azemar?” Spongebob scratched his head, then realised his hand wasn’t its usual yellow colour. He lowered his hand and studied it. A silver glove rested over his hand and extended nearly halfway up his arm. “Whoa…” He looked down and saw he wasn’t wearing his usual white shirt, red tie and brown pants; instead he was dressed in silver armour, black leggings and silver metal boots. A glance to his left side showed a sword resting in a scabbard, which hung from his armour, and silver shoulder armour covered most of his upper arms. A small weight on his head meant there was likely a helmet of some kind there.

As Patrick started to space out, Spongebob thought over their change of scenery and outfits. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think they were in some kind of fantasy world. How they got there was beyond him, but it almost seemed like…

His eyes widened. “Patrick!” he yelled.

Patrick blinked, coming out of his stupor. “Huh?”

“Patrick, I think we’ve been transported into the game!”

“Whuh?” Patrick gave him a dazed look.

“The game we were playing, I think we somehow got sent _into_ it. We’ve gotta find a way out!”

“Just turn off the game,” Patrick replied.

“But where’s the TV?” Spongebob pointed out. “And the game console? And our controllers?!” His voice rose in a panic as he held out his empty hands. “Oh, dear Neptune, how are we gonna get out of here?”

Patrick looked about him, not seeing any signs of their entrance. “Maybe we dropped the controllers,” he suggested. “There’s lots of grass around here, so it’s easy to lose stuff.”

“Y- Yeah, good idea, buddy.” Spongebob dropped to his knees. “Help me look for the controllers, wouldja?”

“Okay.” Patrick knelt in the grass and felt around with his hands.

The two hadn’t searched for long when they heard a crunching sound, followed by a low growl. “Uh, was that you, Pat?” Spongebob asked.

“Nuh-uh.” Patrick shook his head.

“Then… what was—” Spongebob looked behind his best friend and gasped. “Great Barrier Reef, what is _that_?!”

Patrick glanced over his shoulder, seeing a small monster growling at them. “Oh Spongebob, that’s just a monster,” he calmly replied.

“B- B- B- B…”

Patrick kept his gaze on Spongebob for a few moments, then his eyes widened. “A monster?!” He leapt to his feet and ran to hide behind Spongebob. “Wh- What are we gonna do?”

“W- Well… this _is_ a game, so maybe we just have to fight the monster.” Spongebob’s left arm brushed the hilt of his sword. “Oh! Lemme try this.” He tugged on the hilt, pulling the sword free. It was surprisingly light in his hands.

“Are you gonna use that on the monster?” Patrick asked.

“It won’t hurt to try.” Spongebob crouched to an attack stance, then leapt into the air. “Yaaaaaaah!” he shouted, swinging the sword downwards. The monster sidestepped the attack, then hopped forward and sank its teeth into Spongebob’s leg. The sea sponge yelled in pain.

“Hey, something happened to your green bar,” Patrick said, pointing.

Spongebob looked up. Indeed, the bar had shrunk in size, with a noticeable gap between the green edge and its black outline. The numbers had also changed, but it was hard to tell what they read since it was directly above his head.

He thought things over quickly. “I think I get it now,” he said, trying to pull the monster off his leg with no luck. “The green bar represents our health, and the numbers show the exact amount of our HP.”

“Aych-pee?” Patrick scratched his head.

“Health Points,” Spongebob explained, still pulling on the monster. “I got hurt by this monster, so my HP went down a little. What does it say, Pat?”

Patrick peered at the numbers. “Uhh… there’s a four, a five, a line, a five and a zero.”

Spongebob translated what he’d been told into what he imagined was displayed above him: 45/50 HP. The monster had inflicted five HP in damage to him. He knew it wasn’t much, but it still made him wonder what would happen if his HP went down to zero. He decided not to think about it, since the same thing could also happen to Patrick and the whole thing was too scary to try to dwell on.

“Hey, Pat,” he called, “can you help get the monster off me?”

“Sure thing, buddy.” Patrick walked to Spongebob and took hold of the monster. He pulled with all his might.

Spongebob gritted his teeth against the pain. After what felt like forever, the monster’s teeth were finally torn free, though it sent searing pain through him. “Oww!” he yelled.

Patrick tossed the monster over his shoulder. “That doesn’t look too good,” he remarked, looking at Spongebob’s injured leg.

Spongebob held out his leg. The legging was torn, and his bare leg showed bite marks with a bit of blood running from the wound. “Ohh,” he moaned. “What are we gonna do?”

Patrick shrugged. “We don’t know where we are, so we can’t find a hospital or anything.”

Spongebob lowered his leg before picking up his sword and sheathing it. “I should be okay, but we’d better get out of here. I don’t think we’ll ever find our controllers, so the best thing we should do is go to a town.”

“Okay.” Patrick started walking, with Spongebob following.

It didn’t take long for the pain in the sponge’s leg to slow him down to a hobble. He stopped, doubling over and gasping for breath. “Pat, wait.”

Patrick did as he was told, turning to face his friend. “But we’re not out of the forest yet.”

Spongebob collapsed, sitting in the grass. “It hurts too much,” he managed to say, his face twisted with pain. “Has the HP bar changed any?”

Patrick glanced upwards. “Nope, it still shows the same numbers as before.”

“Great Neptune,” Spongebob muttered. “How can we get through this game?”

“Uhh…” Patrick’s eyes widened as he spotted something behind Spongebob.

“What is it?” Spongebob asked.

“Remember that monster from before?”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“There are lots of ‘em now, and they don’t look happy.”

Spongebob glanced over his armoured shoulder and confirmed what Patrick saw. When he turned back to his best friend, his eyes widened as he noticed even more of them approaching from the opposite direction. A quick look around revealed they were completely surrounded by the monsters, all growling at them.

“What do we do, Spongebob?”

“I- I don’t know.” Spongebob tried to stand, but the pain in his leg caused him to fall back on his bottom again. “Barnacles, if I’d only read the instruction manual before starting this game.”

The monsters continued advancing on the duo. “Uhh… if you have some sort of trick to get us out,” Patrick said, “now’s a good time to use it.”

“I really don’t know what to do,” Spongebob admitted, feeling helpless. If his leg hadn’t been giving him so much trouble, he knew he could at least put up a little fight, hopefully enough to discourage the monsters from attacking in full force.

“Oh, wait!” Patrick held up his hand, and a large axe magically appeared in it. He closed his hand around the handle.

“Wow, how’d you do that?” Spongebob asked.

“I’m supposed to be a Viking, right?” Patrick shrugged. “Vikings always have one of these.”

“Yeah, but—”

“Have a taste of this!” Ignoring Spongebob’s protest, Patrick tossed his axe at the monsters. It clobbered one on the head, causing it to disappear, and the others nearby it scrambled away.

“You did it!” Spongebob cheered.

His happiness was short-lived as the monsters re-formed around them in a circle, this time closing the gap much faster than before.

“Oh, shrimp. We’re not gonna make it, Patrick.”

“I thought for sure that’d get ‘em.” Patrick backed up until he was standing beside his best friend. “I guess this is the end.”

Spongebob opened his mouth to reply but was cut off when a fireball flew from somewhere nearby and hit one of the monsters, incinerating it. The two stared in shock as fireball after fireball came from their left and hit each monster. Most of the monsters were destroyed by the time the rest took the hint and ran off, squealing in panic.

“What happened…?” Spongebob turned to the left, but only saw trees.

“I dunno,” Patrick answered, “but that fire got rid of the monsters.”

Spongebob turned to his best friend and heard a faint chiming sound. Almost instantly, the pain in his leg was gone. He looked down and saw the only sign of his injury was his ripped legging. “Wha…”

“Hey, Spongebob, look!” Patrick pointed above his head.

The sea sponge tilted his head upward and saw his green bar was back to full, and he was sure the numbers had also returned to the normal 50/50 HP. He looked to the left again, but still only saw trees. He kept gazing in that direction, hoping to find some sort of clue as to what – or who – may be out there. After a short time, he felt a light breeze, which caused some movement in the trees. It looked like one of the trees had something on it that fluttered in the wind, though it was too far down on the trunk to be a leaf. If he didn’t know any better, he’d swear it was the corner of a cloak or cape.

“How’d you get healed like that?” Patrick’s voice broke his concentration, and he returned his attention to the starfish beside him.

“I think someone in the trees did it,” Spongebob answered. “They also made those fireballs to get rid of the monsters.”

“How’d they do that?”

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I know there are two kinds of spellcasters: white mages, who heal their companions; and black mages, who attack with their spells. But this person did both.”

“Maybe there’s more than one person?” Patrick suggested.

“Maybe, but I think it’s just the one.” Spongebob hauled himself to his feet. “C’mon, we need to get out of this forest before more monsters come.”

“But what about the person who helped us?”

Spongebob turned in the direction he’d seen the fluttering but now saw nothing. He had a hunch the person had already left. “We may find them again,” he replied, starting to walk. He was grateful he could put weight on his leg and not feel the stinging pain anymore. “We could definitely use a spellcaster in our party.”

As they passed Patrick’s axe, the starfish picked up his weapon and slung it over his shoulder. “Are we having a party?”

“No, that’s what these kinds of games call a group of people who travel together,” Spongebob explained as they walked. “There used to be a four-member limit on parties, but most games don’t have that restriction anymore. I don’t think we have to worry about the restriction with this game.”

The two continued talking as they made their way through the forest. After about ten minutes, they ran into more monsters, though these looked different than the ones they’d previously encountered.

Patrick backtracked until he stood behind Spongebob. “What’re we gonna do?”

Spongebob unsheathed his sword. “What anyone in these kinda games do,” he answered, “we defeat the monsters!” He leapt forward, swinging his sword at the nearest monster. Fortunately, this one reacted too slowly, and the blade sliced right through it, causing it to disappear.

The sea sponge crouched, holding out his sword in front of him. “Who’s next?” The monsters exchanged glances, then rushed at him. “Come get some!” Spongebob shouted as he attacked.

Monster after monster disappeared. “Yeah, get ‘em, Spongebob!” Patrick cheered from a distance.

Finally, the last of the monsters vanished, and Spongebob placed the tip of his sword in the ground so he could lean on it and catch his breath. “Man, that was tough.”

“Hey, Spongebob, you have more numbers over your head now,” Patrick said as he approached his best friend.

“I do?” Spongebob looked up, but most of his view was covered by the green bar, which was still full.

“Yeah, the fives and zeroes have changed, too.”

“They have?”

“Uh-huh.” Patrick squinted to read what he saw. “Uh, it’s a five, a four, a line, another five and another four.” He pointed as he continued, “Next to the green bar is some letters and a two.”

“What are the letters?”

“Uhh… lemme think… uh, an L and a… a V.”

Spongebob thought this over. “Oh! I’ve levelled up.” He grinned.

“Levelled up?” Patrick gave him a confused look.

“Yeah, when you get enough EXP, or Experience Points, your level increases. It makes you stronger and you can get better weapons and armour.”

“Ohhhh… so can I level up, too?”

“Of course.” Spongebob smiled at him. “You just use your axe to fight off the monsters, and you’ll get EXP to level up as well. We’re both going to need to do this regularly so we can get stronger to fight more powerful opponents.”

Patrick wore a blank look.

“Uh, nevermind the explanation,” Spongebob said, “just keep fighting monsters with me so we can both get stronger.”

“Okay.” Patrick looked around. “I don’t see any monsters…”

“You won’t see any right now, since I just beat some, but I’ll let you get the next ones, alright?”

“Sounds good to me.” Patrick smiled.

The two resumed their walk out of the forest. It didn’t take long for another batch of monsters to attack, and Patrick soon dispatched all of them, raising his own level. As a group of monsters came to attack them, they either took turns or worked together to defeat them; as a result, their levels continued to grow. Neither one of them saw who or what had saved them during their first monster encounter, but Spongebob had a feeling it wasn’t the only time they’d be helped.

A few hours later, the duo emerged from the forest, tired and hungry. Their levels were both at five, and based on what they’d told each other, their HP was 65/65. Outside the forest, they spotted a town enclosed within white stone walls.

Spongebob pointed. “Look, Pat, it’s a town. We should check it out; we can get supplies and maybe even better weapons.”

“And food and bed?”

“Yeah, those as well.” Spongebob took the lead as they entered through the open gateway.

Inside the town, several buildings were arranged neatly, with stone passageways laid out amongst them. A fountain was positioned in the centre of the town; the gentle trickle of the water lent to the overall tranquil atmosphere of the town. A number of people milled about; although their clothes resembled simple townsfolk, their faces looked quite familiar to the duo.

“Hey, Spongebob, aren’t these people…”

“Yeah, they’re Bikini Bottomites,” Spongebob finished. “Do you think they got stuck in the game, too?”

Patrick shrugged. “I don’t even know how _we_ got here.”

“We should ask them and find out.” Spongebob trotted off to the closest person.

“But I’m hungry,” Patrick whined as he reluctantly followed.

“Excuse me,” Spongebob said once he was close enough, “do you know how we got here?”

The fish gave him a vacant smile. “Welcome, Azemar, to Maplegate. Talk to everyone you meet to learn about the town and its people. You may also find some hints to help you progress through a tough spot.”

Spongebob blinked in confusion. “Wha…?”

Patrick approached the fish. “How do we get out of the game?” he asked slowly.

The fish kept the same blank smile. “Welcome, Thorstein, to Maplegate. Talk to everyone you meet to learn about the town and its people. You may also find some hints to help you progress through a tough spot.”

“Well, he seems to know our character names,” Spongebob remarked, “but that’s about it.”

“What do we do now?” Patrick asked.

“What any good traveller would do,” Spongebob replied, “and that’s to talk to everyone in town.”

“Aw, I wanted to eat.”

“Okay, we’ll eat first, then—”

“Yay!” Patrick took off running.

“Wait!” Spongebob ran after him. “You don’t know where the tavern is!”


	2. Chapter 2

About ten minutes later, the duo sat at a table in the tavern. Spongebob hadn’t known where it was located either, but he knew what to look for. As such, it didn’t take him long to find it. They’d placed their orders and sat at a table to wait. Spongebob looked around, noticing more familiar faces in the unfamiliar setting. He’d already tried talking to the fish behind the counter but was only asked to order some food or drinks.

“I wonder if everyone here is just an NPC,” he muttered thoughtfully.

“A what?” Patrick stared in confusion.

“A Non-Player Character,” Spongebob explained. “They’re not real people, they just talk about the location you’re in or give you tips to get through the game.” He paused as the tavernkeeper approached with their meal, setting the plates on the table before them. Before either one could thank him, the fish returned to his place behind the bar. “See, like that.” Spongebob gestured to the tavernkeeper. “They’re not able to have real conversations with you, since—”

He broke off as he saw Patrick pick up the large mutton from his plate and stuff the entire thing into his mouth. Spongebob looked down at the same food item resting on his plate. It was no Krabby Patty, but then again, such a thing would never exist in this game. He picked up the huge piece of meat – surprisingly, it wasn’t heavy – and took a tentative bite. It was nothing at all like a Krabby Patty, but it was edible and had a decent flavour. He wasn’t sure how long he and Patrick would be stuck in the game, but he had a feeling he’d have to get used to eating mutton until they could find a way out.

 _What if there was no way out?_ His mind asked.

At that thought, his appetite vanished, and tears brimmed in his eyes. It was one thing to enjoy playing a video game, but they were inside the game itself; there was no other explanation for their situation. He had no idea how they even got here, and so far, there was no way of knowing how to get out. There was the possibility they’d be stuck in the game forever, and despite the cool armour he wore, he knew he’d hate having to live out the rest of his life in this environment.

“Are you gonna finish your mutton?” Patrick asked.

Spongebob glanced over at Patrick’s plate, which only housed a bone. The sick dread in his stomach prevented him from wanting to eat any more. “No, you can have it,” he replied miserably. “I’m gonna go look for an inn.”

“Okay.” Patrick grabbed the meat and stuffed it into his mouth as Spongebob hopped from his seat and trudged for the door.

The sea sponge fought back tears as he gazed about him; all the buildings looked the same. He knew from playing other RPGs that small towns always had identical buildings; the key was looking for signs hanging outside that described what laid inside. He strolled up and down a few streets, noting how much more difficult it was to find his way around when he was at eye-level with everything, as opposed to a top-down view or even a 3D view from behind the character. After several minutes of wandering and searching, he found the building that had a wooden sign reading “INN” hanging near the door.

He wanted to enter the inn but knew Patrick would be unable to find him. Instead, he trotted to the end of the block and waited. Within a few more minutes, he heard Patrick calling out for him. “Spongebob, where are you?”

“I’m here, Patrick,” Spongebob shouted. “Follow the sound of my voice.”

Thankfully, the NPCs strolling about town were quiet, so it was easy for Patrick to find his best friend. “Didja find the inn?” he asked.

“Yeah, it’s down here.” Spongebob started walking towards the building.

Patrick followed. “What’s an inn, anyway?”

“It’s like an old-fashioned hotel,” Spongebob explained. “You stay there overnight to rest up and restore your HP and MP before heading out to the next town.”

“Em-pee?”

“That stands for Magic Points,” Spongebob answered as they came to a stop in front of the inn. “We’re physical fighters, so we don’t have any MP. Usually spellcasters are the only ones with MP, but there are a few other classes that also use magic.”

“Ohh, okay.” Despite his words, Patrick didn’t appear to understand.

“Let’s just go in and get a room.” Spongebob pushed open the door.

The inn’s interior was like any other inn from an RPG, though it appeared much more realistic since the duo was actually inside the inn and not looking at it from a gamer’s typical perspective. A fish wearing innkeeper clothes stood behind a counter. “Welcome, travellers,” she greeted.

“Uh, hi.” Spongebob waved as he and Patrick approached her.

“Will you be staying overnight to rest? It’s 50 credits for the night,” the fish replied.

“Yes, please.” Spongebob held out the proper coinage; thankfully, after every monster fight, he and Patrick had found money left on the ground, which he’d made sure to collect. In the real world, Spongebob never made a fuss about money, but in the game, it was the lifeline for beginners in an RPG.

The fish smiled as she accepted the money. “Thank you, sir, and enjoy your stay.”

Patrick looked down at his best friend. “Don’t we get a room key? And which room do we stay in?”

“In the first few towns, there’s only one room,” Spongebob told him as he led them through a doorway and down a hall. “We seem to be the only ones who are stuck in the game so far, so we don’t need a key; the NPCs will leave us alone.”

“But what if some of them are only pretending to be NPC?”

Spongebob froze, causing Patrick to nearly run into him. “I… don’t know,” he admitted. “We should be okay for now, though, since inns are a safe place.”

“How does that help?”

“I mean, you can’t have a battle in an inn. Or the town itself, for that matter.” Spongebob resumed walking. “It’s one of the rules of an RPG like this. The only place you can fight is outside towns and in castles. Even if another player came into the inn, into our room, they couldn’t hurt us.”

“Wow, this must be a magical place.” Patrick gazed around at the wooden walls.

“I guess it is, in a way.” Spongebob stopped in front of a closed door. “Here’s our room.” He opened the door and stepped inside, with Patrick right behind him.

The room was large and spacious. Four beds occupied about half the room, and the other half was comprised of a dresser with a wash basin on top, a wardrobe and a table surrounded by four chairs. The dresser and wardrobe were situated against the walls, which lent to the extra space.

The duo looked around the room. “How come there are four beds?” Patrick asked.

“It’s traditional,” Spongebob explained. “Remember when I told you about parties only having four members? This room was set up for the four party members; that’s why there are also four chairs at the table.”

“Huh.” Patrick gazed about the room again. “You sure know a lot about this stuff, Spongebob.”

“I’ve played RPGs before,” Spongebob told him, “just not _Iron and Sorcery_.”

“Arr-pee-gee?”

Spongebob sighed. “RPG. It means Role-Playing Game. You know how Bubble Bass likes playing that tabletop game with his friends at the comic shoppe?”

“Uh-huh.”

“That’s a role-playing game. It’s the same with this game, too, but it’s a video game instead of a tabletop game.”

“Ohh, I get it now.” Patrick grinned.

“That’s why I know about RPGs, because I’ve played other video games that are also RPGs.” Spongebob removed his helmet and studied it for a moment. It was silver, just like his armour, and had a light blue plume sticking out from the top. He set it on the dresser next to the wash basin. “I’ve just never been stuck _inside_ a video game like this,” he muttered sadly as he crossed the room and sat on one of the beds.

Patrick hopped onto the bed nearest to his best friend and tossed his helmet, shield and axe on the floor. “Are we gonna be stuck here forever?”

“I hope not.” Spongebob could feel his tears threatening to return. “But I don’t know of any way to get out of here. I hope Gary’s okay without me…”

“I hope my rock’s okay,” Patrick added.

“And my job…” Spongebob tried his best to hold it back, but his tears spilt down his cheeks. “I don’t want to be stuck here forever,” he wailed.

“Me, either!” Patrick started crying as well.

The two cried for several minutes; Spongebob couldn’t help but let his despair wash over him at the thought of never being able to flip another Krabby Patty again. He wasn’t sure why Patrick was just as upset, though he had a feeling the starfish just wanted to be back in a familiar environment.

When Spongebob finally reigned in his crying, he wiped the tears from his eyes and turned to Patrick. His best friend had fallen asleep on the bed, though he was lying perpendicular to the mattress. Spongebob himself felt drained and knew there was nothing they could do except get some rest and head out of town the next day.

He unhooked his sword from his armour and set it on the bed, then took a moment to gaze at the weapon. The sheath was a simple one, constructed from wood and silver, and the hilt was of a grey-blue colour. Embedded on either end of the hilt was a gemstone; oddly enough, one was dark blue and the other was dark red. At the base of the hilt, a third gemstone rested; this one was a deep turquoise. These details alone made it look like a higher-level sword than what he should have been carrying. He knew low-level swords tended to be either plain or made from wood, so why did he have one that appeared to be at least mid-level?

Knowing he wouldn’t get an answer, Spongebob laid on the bed and pulled the sheets up to his chin. It was nothing at all like his own bed at home, and the thought brought tears to his eyes again. Why did this have to happen to him and Patrick? Why couldn’t they go home? How could they bear living the rest of their life in this place?

Although he thought he’d cried all the tears he could muster earlier, Spongebob felt tears running off either side of his face. There was nothing he could do but continue living out his life in this new place, and hopefully find a way out someday. He kept crying until sleep mercifully overtook him.

* * *

He opened his eyes, feeling disoriented. Why was there wood above him? Why did his bed feel so strange? Why—

His questions ground to a halt as his memory caught up to him. He was still stuck in the game with his best friend and a town full of NPCs with familiar faces. He fought back yet another onset of tears as he sat up and checked the bed beside his. It was empty.

“Patrick?” He looked around the room; his weapons and helmet were still on the floor, but the starfish in question was nowhere to be seen.

Spongebob hopped out of bed. “Patrick?” he called again, walking towards the window. Peering outside, he spotted the pink starfish, still dressed in his Viking armour, wandering about the roadway. Spongebob pushed open the window. “Patrick, what are you doing?”

“I’m trying to figure out where we can get some food,” Patrick responded. “I’m starving.”

“There’s only the tavern,” Spongebob answered. “C’mon back inside to get your weapons and I’ll take you back there.”

“Okay.” Patrick trotted towards the inn’s front door.

Spongebob stepped away from the window and walked over to the dresser. He hadn’t paid any attention to it before, but a mirror was attached to the top of the dresser. Spongebob gazed at the mirror, not surprised at how awful he looked. He didn’t know how long he’d slept, but he was still feeling miserable at his situation, and it showed on his features.

He knew this wasn’t like him at all. Even when he was in what felt like a hopeless position, he would still wear a big smile as he tried to figure his way out. Although he was still very unhappy about his current predicament, he’d have to put on a brave face at least for Patrick, if not himself. Sitting around and wallowing wouldn’t get them out of the game.

Thankfully, the basin was full of water, and Spongebob removed his gloves before splashing the cold water on his face. It woke him up the rest of the way and helped clear his mind of his sorrow. He found a towel in the top drawer of the dresser, which he used to dry his face before checking his reflection again.

This time, the yellow sponge who gazed back at him looked much better… and happier, once he smiled. Tiny though it may be, there was still a chance he and Patrick could get out of the game, and he was willing to take that chance. The only way to do so was to leave the inn, and the town, and venture through the game as though he was playing it at home.

He noticed his reflection also bore the green HP bar above his head, and he tried to decipher the layout whilst reading it backwards:

_Azemar  
HP: 65/65 MP: 0/0  
LV 5_

The level was to the left of the HP bar, which was full. It was identical to Patrick’s, though the sea star’s name was displayed as “Thorstein”. Spongebob couldn’t help but wonder if the stats hanging above their heads would always be there.

The door swung open and Patrick entered. “C’mon, Spongebob, I’m hungry!”

“In a minute.” Spongebob set down the towel and picked up his gloves. “Go get your stuff over there while you’re waiting.”

Patrick obeyed, and Spongebob slipped on his gloves before crossing the room to retrieve his sword. It still rested on the bed, where he’d left it last night, but it wasn’t the only item there. To his surprise, a book rested on the sheath. He picked it up and read the cover: _Iron and Sorcery Guide_.

“What the…” Spongebob opened the book and stared at the title page.

“Quit looking at that thing and let’s go get some food!” Patrick, wearing his helmet and shield and carrying his axe, dashed for the door.

“Wait up, Patrick!” Spongebob closed the book and tucked it under his arm as he grabbed his sword. On the way out, he picked up his helmet and placed it on his head whilst running.

Outside, he stopped long enough the hook the sword to his armour before taking off again. “Patrick, where’d you go?”

“Over here!” Patrick was already a block away, looking around.

Spongebob bit back a second sigh as he caught up to his best friend. “Follow me,” he instructed, turning down the correct roadway.

“Faster!” Patrick shoved him from behind, forcing Spongebob back into a run.

When they reached the tavern, Patrick dashed inside without waiting for his best friend. Spongebob followed at a walking pace and wasn’t surprised to see the starfish already at the counter, demanding food. He took a seat at the same table they’d used the previous day and waited.

Within moments, Patrick approached the table, each hand bearing a plate with a mutton leg on it. He set them on the table before sitting. “All they have in this place is mutton,” he grumbled. “Why don’t they have anything else?” He took a bite from the meat.

“It’s an RPG,” Spongebob replied. “The foods they have are usually the same thing.” He picked up his mutton. “If we get to a larger town, they might have something else, but expect to see a lot of mutton in the meantime.”

Patrick swallowed his mouthful. “Will the other towns have Krabby Patties?”

Spongebob shook his head. “Krabby Patties don’t exist here.” He bit into the mutton.

Patrick’s eyes widened. “They don’t?! Bu- But… that can’t be right; isn’t there always a Krusty Krab around?”

“Only in Bikini Bottom.” Spongebob swallowed before continuing. “And we’re not in Bikini Bottom, remember? This is Maplegate, which is inside the video game.”

“But we were playing the game in your house,” Patrick protested, “which is _in_ Bikini Bottom. Can’t we go to the Krusty Krab?”

“Do you know how to get out of the game?” Knowing the answer, Spongebob took another bite of his mutton.

“Uhh… well, uhh… you just…” Patrick scratched his head. “Oh! You turn off the game, right?”

“Do you see the power button anywhere?” Spongebob set down his food and spread his arms wide. “Or the console, for that matter?”

“Oh, right, there’s always a catch.” Patrick furrowed his brow in concentration, then picked up his mutton and stuck the whole thing in his mouth. He grumbled to himself as he chewed, still trying to figure out how to leave the game.

Meanwhile, Spongebob opened the guide he’d previously discovered and flipped through the pages with one hand whilst munching on his breakfast with the other. The guide gave a general summary of the game – the heroes band together to defeat the evil black wizard Zurnas – and listed some basic tips to help beginners through the basic aspects of an RPG. He kept turning pages, hoping to find some better information. There was an explanation about the stats that hung above their heads, which Spongebob confirmed was exactly as he’d seen and described to Patrick, followed by a list of various character classes to choose from.

He frowned as he kept checking each page, though his hopes of finding anything useful were dimming. At last, something caught his eye with the character classes: the knight. He saw a rough sketch drawn of a basic character in a knight costume, though the sword the character held was a plain wooden one. It looked nothing like the one currently resting in the sheath at his side.

Spongebob set down his half-eaten mutton and picked up the book, thumbing through the pages to find information about the Viking class. When he found it, he was shocked to see the sketch bore a basic Viking character holding a sword and shield identical to Patrick’s. The sketches of the other classes all showed simple, basic weapons. So why did Spongebob have a sword that was far more elaborate than the one in the sketch? And why was he the only one to have a unique-looking weapon?

Knowing he wouldn’t get an answer – the only other person he could talk to was Patrick, who knew even less about the game than he did – he kept checking the guide for any kind of help. After the descriptions of the character classes, there were some maps, which Spongebob knew would be invaluable. He could see where he and Patrick had started, as well as the distance to Maplegate. They’d barely covered any ground, though it had taken them hours to get out of the forest. The journey to each major town would be long and tedious, but he knew it was the only thing they could do to find a way out of the game.

“Wait a minute,” he muttered, studying the map that showed the destination of the final battle against the last boss. “What would happen if we won?”

“Huh?” Patrick looked up from his plate, which had an empty bone on it.

“What happens if we defeat the evil black wizard and win the game?”

“I dunno.”

“The game ends, right?” For the first time in what felt like ages, Spongebob felt a genuine smile forming on his lips. “When you defeat the last boss, the game is over because you won.”

Patrick gave him a blank look.

“Don’t you get it, Pat? If we win, we _have_ to leave the game, since there will be nothing left for us to do.”

“You mean…?”

“That’s our way out!” Spongebob happily patted the open book before him. “We beat the game, and we’re free!”

“Alright!” Patrick cheered, then immediately sobered. “Oh, but how long will it take to beat the game?”

Spongebob did some quick mental calculations. It took them a while to defeat the monsters in the forest, since their levels were low, but if they levelled up some more, the speed at which they progressed through the game would increase. The monsters would also grow stronger, but if they kept their own levels high enough, they could get through the battles faster. Taking this into account, plus the boss fights and travel time…

His smile fell. “It could be months,” he admitted.

“What?!” Patrick’s mouth hung open.

“Playing an RPG takes many hours,” Spongebob explained. “Depending on how fast you want to get through the main story, you could spend hundreds of hours progressing through the game. Time flows differently in video games, and you could spend weeks in just one area, trying to level grind. Since there are only the two of us, it’d be slow going.”

“What do we do?”

“This is an RPG, right? They’re known for having parties of people working together to defeat the bad guys.” Spongebob closed the book. “We’ll have to find some allies to join us and help get through the game faster.”

“And we can go home!” Patrick grinned again.

“Yeah!”

* * *

After they finished eating, the two left the tavern. Spongebob directed Patrick to the armoury, where they could upgrade their armour and weapons. Due to their low levels, there wasn’t much they could upgrade, but Patrick got a better axe and Spongebob purchased a nicer pair of gloves. They sold their old equipment to get back some of the money they’d spent. Once they finished, Spongebob pointed out the potion shoppe next door and they entered. He bought a few health potions and two sleeping bags. They’d have to return to town if they ran out of potions or were hit with any status effects.

At last, they were finally ready to leave Maplegate. Spongebob consulted the guide to see which way they should go. “Hmm… the map shows we need to travel north.” He pointed at the gateway at the northern end of town, which was opposite from the one they’d entered the previous day.

“North, got it.” Patrick nodded.

“It’ll be a long journey, and we may have to return here from time to time, but our next destination is the town of Irongrove.”

Patrick nodded again.

“…Hold on a moment.” Spongebob set down his items and flipped through a few more pages of the guide. He’d been distracted with the maps earlier, as well as discovering their possible exit, he’d forgotten to look into item storage for their potions.

To his delight, there was some useful information. “Aha, that’s how we can travel lighter!” He held up his right hand, then, with his forefinger, pointed straight ahead. In the middle of the air before his finger, he saw a small ripple of light, and an upright, flat blue box with a silver border appeared before him.

Patrick gaped at the appearance of the box. “What is that, and how did you do that?”

“It’s the menu,” Spongebob explained. “You—”

“Menu?” Patrick’s eyes widened. “You can order food from that thing?”

“No, no, it’s a game menu.” Spongebob picked up one of the bottles of potion laying at his feet and touched it to the box. A moment later, the bottle disappeared, and the word “POTION” appeared in small white letters in the box, with a “1” beside it. “Normally you’d press a particular button to get this to come up on the TV screen,” he explained as he picked up the other potions and touched them to the menu. “But since we’re in the game itself, the menu has to come up _somewhere_. According to the guide, you use the forefinger of your right hand to touch the air just in front of you, and the menu appears.”

“Ooh, can I try?”

“Give me a moment.” Having finished putting the potions in the menu, he picked up the sleeping bags and put them in as well. He touched the top right corner of the silver border and the menu faded away. “Okay, now you can try.”

Patrick jabbed his hand forward; since he had no fingers, it was the best he could do. However, to his disappointment, the menu didn’t appear. “How come it didn’t work?” he whimpered.

“It might be because I was Player One,” Spongebob replied. “That makes me the party leader, and probably the only one who can access the menu.” _It’s a good thing, too,_ he silently added, _since Patrick would probably somehow delete everything in the menu, if given enough time with it._

“Aw…” Patrick’s expression saddened.

“It’s okay, Patrick,” Spongebob assured him, “you get a much better role than party leader.”

“I do?”

“Yeah, you’re the tank.”

“What’s a tank?”

“Walk with me, and I’ll explain.” Spongebob kept the guide under his arm and led the way out of town. “A tank is a powerful member of the party, the one who does most of the fighting.”

Patrick’s eyes shone with wonder. “Really?”

“Yep, tanks also deal the most damage in a battle, like real tanks – you know, the big machines Plankton sometimes drives – and usually get more EXP that way. They level up faster, too.”

“Ohh.” Patrick was still impressed. “Oh, but how come we’re the same level right now?”

“We’ve been mostly fighting separately,” Spongebob answered. “If we fight together, you’ll see the difference after a while.” He knew it wasn’t entirely the truth, but it would keep Patrick motivated to continue fighting in the countless gruelling battles they’d have to face in the very near future.


	3. Chapter 3

The duo spent the entire day travelling through the meadows and forests to get to Irongrove. At first, they ran through their potions quickly and had to make continual mad dashes back to Maplegate to re-stock. About halfway through the day, they made another return trip to eat lunch, then bought two more potions with the rest of their money. Spongebob didn’t know what they’d do if they ran out before they got to Irongrove, but he also knew he’d have to just take things as they occurred.

Since they battled together, their levels increased a bit more, so they were both level nine when they noticed the sun was setting. At this point, they were too far away from Maplegate to return before it got dark, and they were out of potions. Spongebob checked Patrick’s stats:

_Thorstein  
HP: 65/110 MP: 0/0  
LV 9_

He took a deep breath, thinking over his best friend’s situation. The HP bar above Patrick’s head was no longer green, but rather yellow, and rested roughly halfway through the black-outlined box. If they took turns keeping watch that night, at least Patrick would be okay.

“Hey, Pat,” Spongebob said. “What’s my HP?” He pointed to the information above his head.

Patrick squinted in the dying light. “Uhh… a four, a zero, a line, a nine and a five.”

Spongebob sucked in his breath this time. According to his best friend, his HP was 40/95, which wasn’t good at all. He could feel the cuts and bruises he’d accumulated throughout the day, though they weren’t quite as painful as the first monster who’d bitten his leg. He figured it had to do with his higher level, as well as growing accustomed to getting hurt in battle. All the same, what was he going to do about his low HP? He knew they could still take turns keeping watch, but he didn’t trust Patrick to stay awake during his watch once it got late enough.

Unfortunately, it meant Spongebob would have to stay awake and on guard all night.

He sheathed his sword and lowered his gaze. He was hurting, tired and hungry, and the only thing they had to use were the sleeping bags he’d bought that morning. Now he’d have to sacrifice his sleep to stay alive, and he had no idea what they were going to do about food.

As if on cue, Patrick moaned, “I’m starving, Spongebob, what’re we gonna do about eating?”

Spongebob shrugged wearily. “I dunno, this sort of thing is never a problem in RPGs, since they’re not real people.”

“But I’m _hungry_ ,” Patrick insisted.

Spongebob didn’t bother answering, as he knew Patrick would just continue complaining about being hungry until he got some food. They were standing just outside a forest – thankfully, it was smaller than the first one they’d been in – so the only edible things around were grass and leaves. Spongebob already knew he didn’t want to bother with trying either one of those out, and he didn’t want to risk foraging for mushrooms or berries in the forest, only to find out they were poisonous. His HP was far too low for that sort of risk.

“Spongebob,” Patrick’s voice took on a tone of irritation, “I wanna eat!”

“We don’t have any food,” Spongebob replied, anger creeping into his voice. “I don’t know where we can get any, okay? The best thing we can do right now is build a fire and try to get some sleep. I’ll be keeping watch.” Patrick frowned, and Spongebob fought to keep his tone calm again. “We’ll work together to build the fire, and if we find anything edible, we can eat it. Sound good?”

Patrick crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled. “Alright, fine,” he finally replied before stooping to pick up his axe.

Spongebob led the way inside the forest, where he and Patrick worked to gather twigs and dried sticks. Once they had enough, they piled them together in a clearing, and Spongebob rubbed two of the sticks together. To his shock, it didn’t take long for the twigs to spark and eventually start a fire. When the fire had grown to a decent size, the two sat on either side of the flames, warming themselves.

“I don’t see anything we could eat,” Patrick complained.

Spongebob sighed. “It’s too dark to look for any food now, so the best thing you can do is go to sleep. Hopefully we’ll find something in the morning.”

“But I wanna eat _now_ , I’m really hungry.”

“I’m hungry, too, but there’s nothing we can do. Just go to sleep, alright?” He touched the air in front of him to pull up the menu, then tapped the letters spelling out “SLEEPING BAG – 2”. Instantly, a sleeping bag appeared at his side, and he tossed it to Patrick before closing the menu.

Patrick continued grumbling and complaining as he set up his sleeping bag, so Spongebob tuned it out by opening his guide and checking the pages after the maps for more information. There were more details about the various towns they’d have to pass through to get to their final destination with the evil wizard, but he couldn’t find anything about the forest they were in, nor was there information about food.

“I should’ve known,” he mumbled as he flipped back to the beginning of the book and read over the game’s story. He knew it would be a long night, especially when it didn’t take long for Patrick to lay down in his sleeping bag and start snoring loudly.

* * *

He watched from a distance as the two settled down around the fire. The bigger one soon fell asleep, but the smaller one in knight’s armour stayed awake, reading a book. He continued his observation as the night stretched on. Within a few hours, he could see the knight’s head starting to bob over the book, and a few minutes later, soft snores escaped from his lips as he nodded off.

He let out a chuckle. He had a feeling neither one would be able to stay awake all night, which was why he’d followed them to take guard for them. About an hour later, he was grateful for that decision, as a small swarm of monsters tried to descend upon the sleeping duo.

He held out a gloved hand and cast a fire spell, incinerating the monsters. As with the first time he’d done so, most were destroyed before the remainder took off, squealing in panic. Once the monsters were gone, he stepped a little closer, checking on the duo.

Still asleep. He crept forward even closer, hoping neither would wake. The fire was a welcome warmth in the cold forest, and although he knew he could cast his own fire to warm himself, it would deplete his MP quickly. He settled on the ground a short distance from the knight, who was snoring over his book. He leaned over to see what the book was about and recognised the print of a guidebook.

Good. He’d hoped the knight had accepted the “gift” he’d left at the inn the previous night. He didn’t like having to skulk around like this, but he really didn’t see any other option. These newcomers had no idea what they were up against, and he was sure they wouldn’t accept a spellcaster, especially one like him.

He gazed at the fire, sorrow washing over him. Was this where his destiny led, to hide around in the shadows? And why did he feel so drawn to the little knight?

* * *

Spongebob’s eyes slowly opened. He hadn’t realised he’d fallen asleep, though with the first rays of daylight filtering in through the trees, he knew he’d slept nearly the entire night. He gasped and looked up at his stats. The yellow bar above his head seemed unchanged, and the only thing that felt different was his stiffness from having sat slumped over all night.

As he stood, he heard a faint _clink_ of glass touching glass. He turned to his right and spotted three bottles of potion by his feet. His eyes widened in shock. It was what he needed, but how did the bottles get there? He knew for a fact he didn’t have any; when he’d opened the inventory to retrieve a sleeping bag, it was the only item listed. He also hadn’t fought any monsters, so there was no possibility of an item drop, either.

So how…?

Regardless, he knew he couldn’t stay in the forest with his low HP, so he uncorked one of the bottles and drank its contents. Once the bottle was empty, he glanced up at his HP bar. It was fuller now, though a noticeable gap still existed between the edge of the bar and its black outline. He realised the bar was green again, which made him feel better; he may not have full HP, but he’d be able to last a lot longer until they reached Irongrove.

He wanted to drink another bottle but knew it would be better to hold onto the remaining two bottles. He opened the inventory and placed the bottles inside, then touched the upper-right corner to send the menu away.

“Whatcha hiding there, Spongebob?”

The sea sponge gasped as he watched Patrick push himself up to a sitting position. The starfish didn’t look happy. “Wh- What do you mean?” Spongebob stammered.

“I mean, what did you hide in the menu?”

“I wasn’t hiding anything,” he explained. “I found some potions, so I put them away in the menu.”

“But you drank one.”

“H- How did you…”

Patrick pointed at the stats hanging above his head. “Last night, the first numbers were a four and zero, but now they’re a six and a zero.”

“W- Well, I _had_ to use one, since my HP was so low.”

“What about me?”

“Uhh…”

“So you didn’t even think about me?” Patrick stood. “Did you find something to eat, too?”

“N- No, I didn’t.”

“Uh-huh.” Patrick wore a disbelieving look as he turned away. “You just want me to starve, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t,” Spongebob insisted. “Please, Patrick, you have to believe me.”

“Hmph.” Patrick crossed his arms over his chest.

Spongebob picked up his guidebook. “Patrick, please, you’re the only friend I have here. We need to get to the next town together, and I needed to replenish my HP to make sure I can help out longer.” Patrick didn’t move; Spongebob’s eyes filled with tears. “Please believe me, Patrick, please.”

The sea star remained where he was for a few moments longer, then sighed. “Alright, I’ll believe you… But I’ll be keeping my eye on you.”

“Oh, thank you, Patrick!” Spongebob ran to his best friend and hugged him. “I promise you I’ll give you a potion if you get hurt in the next battle, alright?”

“Okay… but I’m really, _really_ hungry now.” To emphasise his point, his stomach growled. “What’re we gonna eat?”

“Let’s look for something whilst we head on to Irongrove,” Spongebob suggested.

Patrick didn’t look happy, but he followed Spongebob as the two left the forest and resumed their journey.

* * *

Spongebob hefted his sword and pointed it at a monster. His arms trembled with the effort. He and Patrick had only travelled for an hour before they were overcome with exhaustion from not having anything to eat in almost twenty-four hours. Unfortunately, they’d still not found anything that looked edible; Patrick had even resorted to chewing on some grass, but immediately spat it out, saying it tasted terrible.

He looked over and saw his best friend was also having trouble holding his axe. It was harder on Patrick since an axe was much heavier than a sword. Spongebob returned his attention to the monster before him and tried to raise his sword even higher for an attack.

To his shock, the sword slipped from his hands and hit the grass with a soft _thud_. He tried to say something, but only managed a gasp of breath as he fell to his hands and knees. His vision swam, but he could tell his opponent was closing in on him. He knew he still had one potion left in reserve, but he didn’t have the energy to open the menu to retrieve it.

Would this be the end of him and Patrick…?

“Heeeeee-YAH!”

The sound of the monster before him shrieking in pain caused him to raise his head and look as it disappeared. He didn’t have the strength to say anything, though he dimly wondered what had happened.

Footsteps approached. “Y’all look terrible,” a familiar voice stated with a southern accent. “But your HP looks fine… what’s wrong?”

“We’re hungry,” Patrick moaned, stumbling to his knees.

“Hungry?”

“Yeah, we haven’t eaten since yesterday.”

Spongebob found the ground rushing up to meet him as the world started to fade. He thought he heard voices, but soon lost consciousness.

A short time later, the light – and the world – came back into focus as he opened his eyes. He was sure he’d fallen facedown, but he was now on his back as he felt a bit of his strength returning. He blinked a few times, clearing his vision, and gasped as a familiar face came into view.

“S… Sandy…?”

The squirrel gave him a confused look. “‘Sandy’? There ain’t any sand here, just grass ‘n trees.”

“B- But…”

“My name’s Liang Yuhan,” she said. “I ain’t seen you fellas ‘round these parts before, and I knew I had to help when I saw y’all strugglin’ with those monsters earlier.” She held up a canteen. “I gave ya some water to revive ya, and I’ve got some dried mutton strips to eat when you’re able to.”

Spongebob slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. He did feel a little better after the water, but knew he’d need more of it, as well as some food, if he wanted to continue his journey.

He turned to the squirrel kneeling beside him. She wore a white karate uniform with black trim and a black belt, and white fingerless gloves and leg warmers. A black strip of cloth was tied around her forehead. When he looked above her head, he realised he could see her stats:

_Liang Yuhan  
HP: 120/120 MP: 0/0  
LV 10_

Naturally, her HP bar was green and full. Spongebob realised she was the first person, other than him and Patrick, to have visible character stats. It had to mean Sandy was somehow trapped inside the game as well, but at the same time, he also noticed the land-dwelling squirrel wasn’t wearing her deep-sea suit. He and Patrick weren’t wearing water helmets, either, yet all of them seemed to have no trouble breathing.

Where in the world could they be, when both sea creatures and land creatures could breathe freely like this?

“Um, Sandy…” he began hesitantly.

“Why do ya keep talkin’ ‘bout sand?”

“Don’t be silly, that’s your name.”

The squirrel gave him a funny look. “I don’t know what ya mean; I told ya my name is Liang Yuhan.”

Spongebob wasn’t sure what to say. He knew the squirrel beside him had to be Sandy; she even spoke with the same Texas accent he’d grown accustomed to.

For the time being, he decided to go along with it. “Um, okay… Liang… How did you get here?”

“I live near here,” she answered.

“No, I mean, here in the game.”

“What game?”

Again, Spongebob was at a loss. He could understand if Sandy had gotten into her role as “Liang” a little too much, but to not even realise she was trapped in the game? “Uhh… nevermind,” he said.

“Ya keep talkin’ about some strange things, mister knight. Maybe some mutton will get ya back to normal.” She grabbed a pouch hanging from her belt.

“My name’s Spongeb—” He cut himself off, remembering Sandy was staying in her role as Liang. “Er, ah, that is… my name’s Azemar.”

“Azemar, huh?” Liang opened the pouch and pulled out some strips of dried meat. “Well then, it’s nice to meetcha, Azemar.” She held out the meat to him.

Spongebob accepted. “It’s nice to meet you too, Sa—er, Liang, and thanks.” He bit into the meat, which tasted like the mutton he’d eaten yesterday.

As Spongebob ate, Liang stood and walked over to Patrick, who was drooling. “And what’s your name, Mister Viking?” she asked whilst offering him the strips.

Patrick grabbed the mutton strips and stuffed them into his mouth. “You know I’m Patrick,” he replied with his mouth full.

“He’s Thorstein,” Spongebob said. “He’s just saying weird things because he’s hungry, too.”

Patrick swallowed his food. “What are you talking about, Spongebob? I’m not—”

“Shh!” Spongebob shushed him. “I’ll explain later. Right now, you’re Thorstein and I’m Azemar, okay?”

Patrick shrugged. “Whatever you say, Spongebob.”

The sea sponge sighed before popping another strip of mutton into his mouth. It wasn’t as filling as what he’d had yesterday, but the protein from the meat was helping return strength and energy to him, and he knew he’d be able to continue the journey.

When he finished the last bit of meat, he hauled himself to his feet. “Thanks again for the help, Liang,” he said.

“No problem, Azemar.”

“Um, would it be okay if you came with us?”

“Why?”

“W- Well… we’re on a journey to defeat the black wizard Zurnas.”

“Ya are?” Liang’s eyes widened. “Why do ya wanna defeat him?”

Spongebob recalled what he’d read in his guide. “Zurnas is slowly destroying the land with his black magic, and we want to restore it to the peaceful paradise it once was. Don’t you want to be free of his tyranny and destruction?”

To his surprise, Liang looked doubtful. “Well, yes, but… Zurnas is a powerful wizard. A black belt like me can’t take ‘im down.”

“Then join us!” Spongebob held out a hand. “We’re growing stronger on our journey, and the more people we have working together in our party, the easier it’ll be to take Zurnas down. What do you say?”

Liang grew thoughtful for several moments, then held out her hand and took Spongebob’s to shake. “I say, ya got a new friend and party member!”

“Alright!” Spongebob cheered.

“Sandy’s coming with us?” Patrick asked, standing.

“Yes, but please call her Liang, alright?”

“Okay, Spongebob.”

“Make sure you use our names shown on our stats,” Spongebob added. “I’m Azemar and you’re Thorstein, remember?”

“I don’t like my name, I just wanna be Patrick.”

Spongebob fought back another sigh. “Just go with Thorstein for now, okay? You can be Patrick later.”

Patrick looked unhappy but nodded. “Okay, Spongebob… uh, Azemar.”

“What’s all this about a Spongebob and Patrick?” Liang was thoroughly confused.

“Uh, well, they’re nicknames we had when we were kids,” Spongebob lied. “Thorstein had gotten so used to being called Patrick, he likes it a lot more than his real name.”

“That’s not true,” Patrick protested. “My real name is—”

Spongebob dashed to his side and clapped a hand over Patrick’s mouth. “It’s _Thorstein_ , alright?” he hissed. “Please, just go with it for now. When we’re out of the game, you can be Patrick again.”

The sea star nodded, and Spongebob removed his hand. “I’m… Thorstein,” Patrick spoke hesitantly, almost as though he was reading a script. “And I’m a Viking, right, Spo—uh, Azemar?”

“Right.” Spongebob grinned as he nodded. “And I’m Azemar, a knight.”

Liang was still baffled by their talk but set her concerns aside. After all, they could still be a bit delirious from their earlier lack of food and water. “Right, well, we better get goin’, the day’s a-wastin’.”

“Good idea, Liang.” Spongebob let her take the lead as he and Patrick followed. He hadn’t expected to use their in-game names, but he also hadn’t expected to run into Sandy, who refused to acknowledge her own name.

The trio travelled through the grassland and forests, occasionally defeating monsters along the way. Spongebob tried to hang onto his last potion, but still ended up using it quickly. It would have made things much easier if they had a spellcaster with them, but between the knight, Viking and black belt, they were out of luck. He noticed his and Patrick’s levels were also much slower to increase, since it required more EXP to reach each new level, and they had to split the points three ways instead of two.

He was also very grateful Liang agreed to join their party, as her expertise and higher level came in handy countless times. They only stopped to eat lunch around midday; Liang shared more of her mutton strips and water with her new companions. Once they finished, she had them on their feet and moving along again, trying to cover as much distance as possible before they lost the daylight.

At last, the sun began its usual descent. Liang halted the two near the base of a mountain. “I know we’re about to lose our light,” she began, “but we ain’t stoppin’ here for the night.”

“Why not?” Spongebob asked.

“Because we’re almost at Irongrove,” Liang replied. “We just gotta get through this mountain, and we’ll be there.”

“M- Mountain?” Spongebob looked behind her at the entrance to the mountain, which was covered with an iron gate. “But aren’t there…”

“Yep, there are all kinds of creepy-crawlies in the mountain,” Liang said, grinning. “But there are also torches set up along the pathways, so we’ll be able to see where we’re goin’. It’s a great way to get more experience to raise our levels.” She pointed to the stats above her head.

Spongebob blinked in surprise. “You can see your stats?”

“Sort of,” she answered. “Kinda hard to see when it’s right above your head.”

“Does anyone else have that?” Spongebob tried not to get too hopeful; if there were others with visible stats, it meant there were other Bikini Bottomites who were trapped in the game as well.

“Well, you ‘n Thorstein have ‘em,” Liang answered, “as do I.”

“Anyone else?”

“I ain’t seen ‘em, no.”

Spongebob lowered his gaze. He should’ve known better; it was practically a miracle they’d encountered Sandy in the game. At the very least, he was thankful for her company, and it made progressing through the game a little faster and easier.

“Don’t ya worry your little knightly head none,” Liang assured him. “I just ain’t seen anyone in my home village with the stats above their head. There might be more like us in other towns; we’ll only find out as we journey and check ‘em out.”

Patrick flopped down to a sitting position. “I’m hungry,” he complained.

“Okay, we’ll take a break before headin’ into the mountain.” Liang produced her bag and grabbed more meat strips. “This is the last meal we’ll be gettin’ outta these; I’m runnin’ out.”

Spongebob accepted the strips offered to him. “How will you get more?”

“I make ‘em myself,” Liang explained as she handed some of the strips to Patrick. “Once we get to Irongrove, I’ll need to spend a day smokin’ and dryin’ some mutton to make more strips. And I’ll need to get some more water; I ain’t equipped to take care of three people.” She held up her canteen and shook it; there was only a faint sloshing of water from inside. “We’ll have to get y’all some canteens as well, and better supplies.”

“Wow, how’d you learn to do all that?” Spongebob’s tone was filled with wonder.

“My maw ‘n paw taught me, of course.” Liang smiled. “There ain’t no way a Yuhan’s gonna be caught unprepared when it comes to trekkin’ out in the wilderness. We always have food, water ‘n supplies, and we know our moves whenever we run into monsters. That’s why I knew I had to follow in their footsteps and become a black belt myself.”

Spongebob wasn’t sure how to reply. He thought for sure the squirrel before him was Sandy, but with the way she spoke, she sounded as though she was born and raised within the video game. If he’d asked her outside the game, she would’ve proudly stated she was from Texas and used her home to describe how it helped shape her into the squirrel she was today. But this was untrue for Liang, who had yet to mention the state. He knew Sandy would never resist talking about Texas, so perhaps Liang really wasn’t Sandy?

“Alright, y’all, time to get to movin’.” Liang put away her canteen and pouch, unaware of Spongebob’s confusion. “I know we ain’t gotta worry about daylight, but more monsters come out at night – even in the mountains – so we better get goin’. It’s gonna be tougher as we get closer to the exit.”

She led Spongebob and Patrick inside the mountain; the iron gate opened as soon as they were close to it and rattled shut once they stepped inside. It almost felt like the metallic _clang_ was the punctuation at the end of their life, and Spongebob tried to push down his fears as he followed Liang and Patrick. He also felt cut off from the person who’d helped them two days ago; although he’d not seen any signs of their mysterious helper since then, he was sure the person was still following them. He wished he could see them again, so he could talk to them and properly thank them for their help that day.

The trio made good progress through the mountain, working together to defeat any monsters who challenged them. They didn’t have many difficulties for most of the journey. Each party member was growing exhausted with the constantly increasing number of monsters, and their gradually decreasing HP was evidence of the growing number of hits they were taking. When Liang asked for a potion near the end of their trek, Spongebob revealed he had none.

“What? Ya don’t even have any potions?” Liang stared at him in shock.

“W- Well, we did have some,” Spongebob explained, “but we used the last one earlier.”

Liang sighed. “I shoulda known. Well, there ain’t nothin’ left to do but one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“RUN!”

Her words frightened Spongebob and Patrick into a run, and Liang took the lead again as they tried to push their way through more monster hordes. They fought back a little, and were hit regularly, but ultimately were able to race out the exit of the mountain and into the darkness of night.

The trio collapsed in a heap, each one gasping for breath. Spongebob was the first to check on their stats, though he already knew none had completely run out of HP. Liang had about a fifth of her HP left, and Patrick’s was little better. A glance upward revealed his own HP was dangerously low as well.

“Are… Are we at the next town yet?” He panted.

“Not just… yet,” Liang replied. “We’ve gotta… cross that last hill.” She pointed to a hill in the distance.

Spongebob felt his spirits sink. He knew there was no way they’d be able to cross over the hill without running into more monsters, and he also knew at least one of them wouldn’t survive the short journey. He tried to hold back tears of frustration. Was this where their journey ended, not even making it to the second town?

Just as he was about to completely lose hope, he heard a light chiming sound. Frantically, he looked about him, trying to see where the sound was coming from. He heard the sound a second time as Liang said, “Azemar, Thorstein, look!”

Spongebob did as he was told, looking above their heads. Patrick’s HP had recovered about a third of its original amount, and Liang’s was the same. When they heard a third chiming, Spongebob watched his own HP bar turn from red to yellow as the same amount of HP was restored. They would all be safe until they reached Irongrove.

The sea sponge jumped to his feet and ran to the west of the mountain, as he was sure that was where the chiming had come from. He didn’t see anything, but he was certain someone was there. “Come on out!” he called. “Please, I just want to know who you are!”

He slowed to a walk, then stopped. It was nearly impossible to see in the darkness, especially since he was far enough away from the mountain’s exit and its torches. He was met with silence, though he was certain the person who’d just helped them was still there… somewhere.

“Azemar, c’mon.” Liang gently touched his arm. “We need to get goin’ before it gets too late.”

Spongebob’s expression saddened as he let the black belt lead him back to the mountain, where they met up with Patrick and resumed their journey.

* * *

He watched from behind a tree as the trio began walking away from the mountain, towards the hill that led to Irongrove. He was relieved when they left, but at the same time, he also wondered why he’d stayed hidden when the knight called for him. Was he scared? Or was it something else?


	4. Chapter 4

“Here we are, fellas.” Liang spread her arms wide. “Welcome to Irongrove!”

Spongebob and Patrick gazed about them. The town was a stark contrast from Maplegate, as it was larger, the streets were constructed from grey stones and all the buildings were made of metal. There was a factory of some kind in the distance that belched black smoke into the air. Overall, the town was a very drab, grey place, even if it wasn’t late at night.

“This is Irongrove?” Spongebob tried to hide his disappointment.

“Yep! They have all kinds of things here.” Liang led them down one of the roads. “There’s an armoury, potion shoppe, tavern, inn… the same places Maplegate has, but there’s also a place for ya to practise your skills with your weapons. The factory on the north end manufactures the best weapons in the land, and sometimes they’ll let ya take a tour. There are the chapel and houses… oh, and the bakery, too. Y’all gotta be there first thing in the mornin’ when they’re makin’ the breads; it’s wonderful just bein’ able to smell it.”

“Wow, there’s a lot to do here,” Spongebob observed. “Maybe we should—”

“Food!” Patrick yelled. “I’m starving, where can we get some food?”

Liang chuckled. “I guess we’re gettin’ somethin’ to eat first, then we can go to the inn. Anything else can wait till tomorrow. Sound good, Azemar?”

Spongebob nodded. “Yeah, we could all use some rest.”

“C’mon, food, where’s the food?!” Patrick demanded.

“Alright, hold yer horses, Thorstein.” Liang took them to the end of the street, where a dark wooden building bore a metal sign with the word “TAVERN” on the outside. “See? It’s right—”

“Food, gimme food!” Patrick sped inside.

Liang and Spongebob followed at a slower pace, with the latter noting the tavern was also larger than the one in Maplegate. Patrick was already at the counter, so Liang found a table for them to sit at.

Spongebob pulled out his guidebook and set it on the table. “So we need to stay here for a day?”

“Yep.” Liang nodded. “That is, if’n ya want me to make more mutton strips to take with us. I know ya wanna get to the next town quickly, but if we rush, we’re gonna be in the same predicament as before, when we were in the mountain.”

Spongebob swallowed back his fear, remembering when they’d nearly run out of HP inside the mountain. To take his mind off it, he opened his book and flipped to the first map page, which showed the towns of Maplegate and Irongrove, along with the third town they’d soon be travelling towards.

He checked the name of the town. “Roserock,” he muttered.

“Roserock?” Liang’s eyes widened.

“That’s the next town we’re going to, right?” Spongebob looked up at her.

“W- Well, yeah, but…” Liang looked fearful. “I dunno if y’all wanna go to Roserock; that’s where Mad Eye Shipley lives.”

“Who’s Mad Eye Shipley?”

“What? Ya never heard of ‘im?” Liang’s fear turned to shock.

“Heard of who?” Patrick joined them at the table. He held a plate of mutton in each hand, and a third plate balanced precariously on his helmet. He set the plates in front of Spongebob and Liang, then grabbed the third one and placed it before him whilst he sat.

“Mad Eye Shipley,” Liang said. “He’s a nasty thief who has an iron-claw grip on the whole town. He was able to control all the money in Roserock and used it to become the town’s ruler. Ya really oughtta avoid goin’ there.”

“But he works for Zurnas, doesn’t he?” Spongebob asked.

“Yeah…”

“Then we have to go there and defeat him.”

“What?!”

“We won’t be able to get very far if we just head straight to Zurnas,” Spongebob pointed out. “You know he’d send his servants after us once he found out what we’re doing. The best thing to do is confront all his underlings and defeat them before we take on Zurnas.”

Liang nodded as her surprise wore off. “Ya have a point,” she agreed. “It’d save us a lot of time ‘n hassle in the future.”

“We’d also get stronger by defeating each one,” Spongebob added, “and we need to raise our levels as high as possible before taking on Zurnas.”

“Then we’re goin’ to Roserock after we’re done here in Irongrove.”

Patrick belched from beside Spongebob, and he and Liang turned to see he’d already finished his food. “Are you gonna eat your mutton, Spo—uh, Azemar?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Okay then.” Patrick hopped from his seat and walked over to the counter.

Liang watched him go. “Thorstein sure has a big ol’ appetite,” she commented. “I ain’t ever seen anyone put away as much mutton as he does.”

“That’s just the way he is.” Spongebob shrugged before picking up his mutton to eat.

Liang followed suit, tearing a large chunk of meat from the leg before chewing on it. “Ya know, ya never told me where y’all came from,” she said once she swallowed her mouthful of meat.

Spongebob hesitated. If Liang really was Sandy, she knew her two companions came from Bikini Bottom. However, she seemed to not know her real name, nor that she was really from Texas. Spongebob also knew he couldn’t logically explain how he and Patrick got sucked into the game, nor did he think Liang would have an explanation, either. It seemed more likely Sandy had been transported into the game, but somehow got amnesia in the process and now believed she was a black belt named Liang Yuhan.

He watched as Patrick returned to the table with more mutton. Liang continued observing Spongebob, waiting for an answer. “Er, we come from a place far away from here,” he finally replied, already knowing how weak it sounded.

“Really?” Liang regarded him with interest. “So ya ain’t from this land?”

“Um, no.”

“Then why are ya wantin’ to defeat Zurnas?”

Again, Spongebob was cornered. He tried recalling the game’s summary in the guidebook resting nearby; he didn’t want to show he was lying if he turned to the proper page to read it. “Uh… I- It’s a prophecy,” he answered.

Liang’s eyes widened again. “A prophecy?”

“Y- Yeah, a prophecy. Isn’t there one about some people who will one day band together and defeat the evil black wizard?”

“I… I think so.” Liang scratched her head thoughtfully. “I ain’t heard anything about it in a long time, though. Might be because Zurnas has ruled this here land for so long, we all kinda got used to it.”

“Isn’t that a bad thing?” Spongebob could hardly believe what he was hearing.

“Why?”

“Zurnas is an evil wizard, right?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s not supposed to rule over anything,” Spongebob pointed out. “Someone needs to end his reign of terror and restore peace to the land.”

“That’s true,” Liang agreed, “but most folks just… y’know, adapted to the new ruler.”

“They got complacent.” Spongebob lowered his gaze. “So it’ll be harder than ever to get more people to join our cause.”

“I’m sure there are more like us out there,” Liang assured him. “Just have faith in yourself and your friends, and don’t lose sight of your goal.”

“Yeah…” Spongebob’s thoughts drifted to the hidden stranger who kept helping them. He looked at the open guidebook and a thought struck him. Was it possible the stranger had given him the book? That meant Spongebob and his companions had been helped at least four times since starting their journey. It started from when Spongebob was saved from a monster swarm, to being gifted the guidebook, to having some potions left for him and Patrick on their second night, to the party getting healed as soon as they exited the mountain earlier. He desperately wanted to know who was continually being so kind to him and his friends, but the only clue he’d had so far was the fluttering of a possible cloak behind a tree.

After the trio finished their dinner, Liang took them down a different road to the local inn. They had to pay a higher fee to stay the night, but Spongebob had plenty of credits. They chose a room that looked identical to the one Spongebob and Patrick had stayed at in Maplegate, and the two chose the same beds as before. Liang picked one of the vacant beds, sitting on the edge whilst Spongebob took off his helmet and Patrick tossed his weapons and helmet on the floor.

“I’m going to sleep,” Patrick stated before lying down and almost immediately snoring.

Spongebob, sitting on his own bed, gazed at the silver helmet in his hands for several long moments. He knew it was the third night he and Patrick were stuck in the game, and there would be many more long nights ahead of them before they reached Zurnas. Tears blurred his vision as a wave of homesickness overtook him; he longed for his home in Bikini Bottom, his pet snail Gary, and the best job he’d ever had at the Krusty Krab. He missed hearing his foghorn alarm in the mornings, getting ready for the day, seeing Squidward next door, going to boating school, flipping patties… all of it.

Before he knew it, several tears slipped down his face and pattered on his helmet. He sniffled, trying to keep from crying, but the tears wouldn’t stop.

“What’s wrong, Azemar?”

Through the tears, he looked up and saw Liang standing before him, looking very concerned. He set his helmet on the mattress beside him and tried to speak, but he only let out a sob.

“It’s okay,” Liang said softly. “If ya need to cry, let it out. You’ll feel better afterwards.”

Although he still didn’t know if the squirrel was Sandy, Spongebob flung himself into her arms and sobbed. She held him as he cried, giving him soothing words of encouragement. After a few minutes, Spongebob managed to get his crying under control and let go of Liang. She also released her hold on him.

“S- Sorry about that,” Spongebob stammered, wiping away his tears. “I- I just got h- homesick.”

“It happens,” Liang replied. “Ya _are_ pretty far from home, from what ya told me earlier, so it’s easy to miss it. You’ll be able to go back once the black wizard is defeated, right?”

“I think so.”

“Then just think about that.” Liang smiled at him. “The sooner we get to the black wizard and defeat ‘im, the sooner you ‘n Thorstein can go home.”

“Y- Yeah… thanks, Liang.”

“No problem, Azemar. Now, try to get some sleep; we’ve gotta busy day ahead of us.”

Spongebob nodded. “Alright.”

As Liang returned to her bed and laid down to sleep, Spongebob picked up his helmet from the bed and set it on the floor. He crossed the room to look at his reflection in the mirror, realising he looked miserable once again. As he removed his gloves to splash water from the basin on his face, he was reminded how he’d done the exact same thing two mornings ago in Maplegate. It seemed anytime he was at an inn, he’d break down crying at some point. It was likely due to having time to think about home, since the rest of the time was spent focusing on levelling up and staying alive.

He dried his face with a towel and checked his stats hovering above him, reading the letters and numbers backwards once again:

_Azemar  
HP: 25/140 MP: 0/0  
LV 13_

The HP bar was, naturally, red. He wasn’t concerned with the low number, since he knew sleeping at the inn for the night would replenish his health. All the same, he was sure he’d never get used to having his health status on full display for everyone to see.

He remembered what Liang had told him: he and Patrick were the only ones whose stats she could see. This either meant everyone in her home village were NPCs, or only certain characters had visible stats. It also increased the likelihood those like that were fellow Bikini Bottomites who were also trapped in the game. The entire matter was far too confusing for him, and Spongebob knew he shouldn’t try to think too hard into it, as he’d get no answers.

“Just like everything else in this stupid game,” he mumbled as he returned to his bed and sat on it. As he unhooked his sword, he was again baffled as to why and how he had such an elaborate sword. Although he’d used it throughout the day, Liang hadn’t commented on it. It was possible she hadn’t paid it any attention, but it was also possible she didn’t know much about swords, since she was a black belt.

Nevertheless, there were also no answers to be given for his sword, so he placed it beside him on the bed and laid on his side. Thankfully, he didn’t feel any tears trying to make a comeback, but he certainly felt wretched. He knew he’d have to put on a cheerful face once again in the morning, and as he felt the pull of sleep, he wondered how long he’d be able to keep pretending to be happy.

* * *

He silently crept into the room, using only a candle as his source of light. There were three forms lying on the beds, but the one that caught his interest was the one closest to him, wearing silver armour. Carefully tiptoeing across the room, he stopped at that person’s bedside. Although that person was asleep, he wore a troubled expression. He knew it was because the knight wasn’t happy, and he dearly wished he could do something to bring him happiness.

Before he knew it, he reached out a gloved hand and gently touched the side of the knight’s face. It was soft and warm, much to his surprise. He caressed the sleeping knight’s cheek, lightly stroking it. He couldn’t help himself; it just felt so… so good, so right. At his touch, the knight’s face relaxed a bit.

“Keep fighting, my brave knight,” he murmured. “I know you can get through this.”

He leaned closer to the knight, stopped himself, and instead knelt at the bedside. He lifted the helmet lying on the floor and placed an item underneath it before setting the helmet back down. Straightening up, he gazed at the knight for a few moments longer before turning and leaving the room.

* * *

“Azemar, wake up!”

Spongebob opened his eyes, blinking a few times to clear his vision. Liang stood before him at his bedside; she was shaking him awake. “Uhn… what time is it?” he mumbled.

“Time to get up, of course.” Liang grinned. “C’mon, Thorstein’s already at the tavern. After we eat, I’m gonna be makin’ my mutton strips, and you ‘n Thorstein can explore the town.” She spun on her heel and trotted out the door.

Spongebob pushed himself up to a sitting position, still feeling the lingering effects of sleep. However, something was a bit off. He reached up a hand and touched his cheek; if he didn’t know better, he was sure someone had touched him there recently. But that couldn’t be, since Patrick and Liang had slept in their own beds, and NPCs didn’t have the ability to enter their room.

Shrugging off the uneasy feeling, he headed to the dresser to wash his face and wake himself up. Once he finished, he checked his stats in the mirror: his HP bar was full once again. Since he’d collected all the money from each of the battles the past two days, he had plenty to spend on lots of potions and armour upgrades. They’d last much longer on the way to Roserock.

After hooking his sword to his armour once again, he reached down to pick up his helmet and gasped. Hidden underneath the helmet was a small glass bottle, filled with red liquid. He knew right away it was a potion, which also told him the stranger had been in the room last night. He used his free hand to touch his cheek again. Was it the stranger who had touched him? He didn’t feel any worse; in fact, when he’d woken up, he’d felt a little more optimistic about his situation.

Just who was this stranger?

Spongebob picked up the potion bottle and studied its surface. It was clear and devoid of any fingerprints. He’d hoped to find a clue as to who had held the potion, but apparently the stranger wore gloves. He didn’t want to let the potion get lost amongst the others he’d be buying shortly, so he held onto it as he placed his helmet on his head, tucked the guidebook under his arm and trotted out the door.

* * *

No matter how hard he tried, Spongebob couldn’t stay focused on anything. Whilst Liang worked on cutting and drying her mutton strips, Spongebob and Patrick were free to explore the town. Patrick immediately went to the bakery, and Spongebob tried to check out various places and shoppes. Unfortunately, his mind was on the mysterious person who kept helping him and his party. At this point, he could safely say it was only one person, though he couldn’t figure out how one person could use both black and white magic. He also had no idea who the person could be, since there were several Bikini Bottomites who would help him in a pinch. If anyone else got sucked into the game and lost their memories like Liang, it would make the possibilities endless.

Ultimately, Spongebob sat on the edge of the fountain in the town’s centre, gazing at the potion bottle in his hands. He could see his troubled reflection in the glass surface. Whoever the stranger was, they seemed to be interested in Spongebob, enough to even dare to touch him whilst he slept. He still wished he could meet this helpful spellcaster, so he could properly thank them and invite them to join his party. Regardless of the type of magic used, he knew they could really use a spellcaster.

Before he knew what was happening, he felt someone shoving him backwards, and he fell into the fountain with a loud _SPLASH_. Coughing and sputtering, Spongebob waved his arms around to right himself. A moment later, he realised he was still holding the potion, and he clutched it to his chest as he climbed to his feet, still coughing. The water rose about halfway to his waist, but the fountain itself continued to sprinkle water over his head.

Using his free hand to wipe the water from his eyes, he looked around for the person who’d pushed him.

“Liang?” He gaped at the squirrel in disbelief.

“Bet ya weren’t expectin’ that!” Liang laughed.

Spongebob frowned. “Just help me out of here.”

“Sure thing.” She held out a hand, and he took it, letting her pull him up and out of the fountain.

He was tempted to pull her into the fountain as well, but decided against it, since it meant he’d get wet again and he didn’t want to risk potentially damaging his potion. Instead, he climbed up over the edge and sat. “Why’d you do that, anyway?”

“I saw ya just sittin’ there, lookin’ all mopey,” Liang explained, “so I figured that was a good way to bring ya back to yer senses.”

“There are better ways to do that,” he muttered, taking off his helmet and squeezing the water from the plume.

“What were ya starin’ at that ol’ potion for?”

“This?” Spongebob held up the bottle. “It’s, ah—” He was cut off as Liang snatched it from his wet hand, and he gasped. “Give it back!”

“Why don’tcha put it away in your inventory?” Liang looked over the bottle. “Dunno why you’d waste your time carryin’ it all over town with ya.”

Spongebob tried reaching for the bottle, but Liang held it up above his head, making it harder to grab. “It was a gift, alright?” He replied angrily. “Now please, give it back.”

“Why would someone gift ya a potion?” She grew thoughtful. “Unless… was it that fella who helped us outside the mountain last night?”

“Um, probably,” Spongebob replied.

“Sure is a lame gift to give, I mean, there are better potions out there, why’d they give you just one of these?”

“Liang, please, give it back.” Spongebob fought back tears of frustration. “It doesn’t matter who it’s from, or why they chose a potion; it’s a special gift, and that’s what counts.”

“Oho, I see.” Liang gave him a sly grin. “Ya gotta lil’ crush, don’tcha?”

“Wh- What?”

“Ya gotta gift from the fella who helped us, and you really like ‘em, whoever they are, huh?”

Spongebob lowered his arm in confusion and disbelief. “Why would you think that?” he asked. “I haven’t even _seen_ this person, so I don’t know who they are. They just keep showing up and helping us out.”

Liang gazed at him for a moment before handing the potion back to him. “So ya ain’t even seen who’s been helpin’ us? Was that why ya ran over to them last night?”

“Yes.” Spongebob took the potion back, but this time, he opened the menu and stashed it in his inventory. “This potion was left under my helmet this morning, and I was trying to figure out who would keep helping us like this.” He removed his gloves and set them on the edge of the fountain beside him. “There weren’t any prints on it, so whoever this stranger is, they’re wearing gloves. I just… I just want to find out who this person is so I can thank them and ask them to join our party.”

“I ain’t got any clue who they could be, either,” Liang said, “but it sounds like we need to figure it out. Maybe you can leave a trap for ‘em, so when they come to help again, we can nab ‘em.”

“No, I don’t want to trap them.” Spongebob shook his head before removing his boots and pouring the water from them. “I wish they didn’t keep hiding, but they either help from a distance, or they come when we’re sleeping. Whoever they are, they’re certainly clever.”

“And tricky,” Liang added. “I dunno if you want someone like that in our party, Azemar. What if they’re workin’ for the black wizard? What if they sneak around and do bad stuff we don’t know about? Do _you_ want someone shady like that in our party?”

Spongebob took a moment to carefully think over what Liang had said. It was true he couldn’t prove there weren’t connections to Zurnas, but at the same time, he couldn’t prove there _was_ a connection. The stranger could be sneaking around and committing evil deeds, but they could also be sneaking around just to help from the shadows. Any point Liang brought up, she couldn’t prove it, and Spongebob couldn’t prove his own side.

It all came down to one simple question: did Spongebob _trust_ the stranger?

“You have a point, Liang,” he finally replied. “But your questions are all ‘what ifs’. I can’t prove the stranger’s only trying to help us, either, so it’s a matter of trust at this point.”

Liang nodded her agreement. “So do ya trust this stranger?”

Spongebob took a deep breath. “I do.”

* * *

The next morning, Spongebob, Patrick and Liang stood at the northern entrance to Irongrove. They’d eaten their fill of breakfast, Liang had plenty of dried mutton strips to get them to Roserock, and Spongebob had bought lots of potions, elixirs and more, along with a few upgrades to everyone’s equipment. Liang had new gloves, Patrick had better-quality leather armour and a new helmet, and Spongebob had new boots. He’d had the option to purchase a new sword but decided to keep the one he’d had from the start. He still had no answers for its design, as well as why a low-level character would even have such an elaborate weapon, and he knew he needed to hang onto it until he got those answers.

“Y’all ready to head onto Roserock?” Liang asked, glancing at her friends.

“Yeah!” Patrick lifted his axe high above his head.

“Let’s go!” Spongebob pointed as Liang took the lead again. He was aware he was the party leader, but he knew Liang was much more familiar with the area than he, so he didn’t complain when she led them out of town and into the wilderness.

It didn’t take long for them to encounter some monsters, though this time, Spongebob could tell it was getting easier for him to defeat them. He knew his level hadn’t risen yet, but his sword felt lighter and his strokes surer. He blocked out everything except the task on hand as he sliced through yet another monster. Once the monsters were defeated, he worked alongside Liang and Patrick to pick up the coins and occasional items dropped and add them to the inventory.

He wasn’t sure why he felt more confident that day; perhaps it was because his HP was full for the first time in two days and he had lots of items to replenish his health and status conditions? Was it because he was getting used to the game’s mechanics as his strength grew? Or was it because of his certainty the stranger who’d been following him since the first day only wanted to help them?

Regardless of the reason, his improvement in battle made the going much easier and faster. Liang kept them going at a hard pace, even when Patrick started complaining of getting tired after the first hour. “We’ve gotta long trip ahead of us to Roserock,” she’d told him, “and we ain’t stoppin’ every few minutes just so y’all can rest. Now, on yer feet and let’s get goin’!”

They only stopped once, at midday, to have a quick lunch of mutton strips and water. Liang had made sure her companions each had their own canteen and had instructed them on how to ration their water to make it last longer. Naturally, Patrick tried to drink all his water at once, so Spongebob was tasked with carrying Patrick’s canteen and making sure he didn’t consume too much in one go.

At the end of the day, Liang led them into a forest, explaining it was better to have at least a little cover in case of a monster ambush. When Spongebob suggested having a guard, she agreed the two of them would take turns. They both knew Patrick wouldn’t stay awake long enough to be a good guard.

They worked together to build a fire and eat another meal of mutton strips and water, then Spongebob took first watch whilst Liang and Patrick slept. The sea sponge kept his back to the fire and gazed out into the dark forest. The only sounds he could hear were leaves rustling in the wind and the chatter of night-time insects. It was impossible to tell if the stranger was out there, but he decided to take a chance.

“I don’t know if you’re out there,” he spoke softly, “and I don’t know if you can hear me, but I want you to know I really appreciate everything you’ve done for us up until now. I wish I could thank you in person… but at the very least, I’m grateful for all your help.”

Falling silent, he strained to listen.

Nothing.

Spongebob sighed and opened his guidebook to the first map, where he tried to figure out their location.


	5. Chapter 5

“This here is the town of Roserock.” Liang held out her arms.

Three days had passed since they’d left Irongrove, and now the trio found themselves at the third town. Since their levels were higher and they were better prepared, they hadn’t required any help from the stranger, but Spongebob was certain they were still following the party.

He kept this opinion to himself as he gazed at the town. He’d thought Irongrove was a big town, but Roserock was even larger. It was constructed from the same white stone as Maplegate, but there were far more buildings and people. It would be easy to get lost in this place. Thankfully, they’d arrived in the early afternoon, so the town was still well-lit for several more hours.

“Where’s Mad Eye Shipley?” Spongebob asked.

“Northeast corner of the town.” Liang pointed. “There’s a big castle back there, where ol’ Mad Eye keeps his money… and himself. He never lets his money outta his sight.”

Spongebob grew thoughtful. Those words made him think of a certain someone…

“What kinda food do they have here?” Patrick asked.

“Tons.” Liang led him and Spongebob into the town and down the main road. “There’s the tavern, of course, and a bakery, confectionery, produce market and farmer’s market.”

Patrick’s eyes were huge. “Where’s all of that at?”

Liang stopped at an intersection and pointed to her left. “Down that road.”

Patrick turned to his best friend. “Let’s go there, Azemar.”

“I, ah, think I’ll keep looking around the town,” he replied, “but here’s some money for you to buy some food.” He opened his money pouch, grabbed a handful of coins and handed them to Patrick.

“Thanks, buddy!” Patrick took off.

“What other places would you recommend we check out?” Spongebob asked his remaining companion.

Liang watched Patrick’s retreating back with concern. “I’m kinda worried about Thorstein,” she said.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because in Roserock, ya gotta keep a close eye on your money. Mad Eye Shipley ain’t satisfied with just the money he’s got; he wants all the money he can get his claws on. He’s got underlings who sneak round town and nab money wherever they can.” She eyed Spongebob’s coin pouch, which he held in his right hand. “Ya might wanna hide your money as well, Azemar.”

“Oh, good point.” Spongebob opened the menu and touched the pouch to the window, watching it disappear from his hand and reappear in the menu under the box with the word “CREDITS” in it. Once he finished, he closed the menu and turned to Liang again. “All done.”

“Good.” Liang nodded in approval. “Now, you were askin’ about other places in town to check out?”

“I’m not interested in eating right now, so maybe there’s something fun we could do?”

“Fun, huh…” Liang grew thoughtful. “Well, there is the archery range and jousting field, though knights ‘n black belts ain’t exactly good at those sorta things. Hey, how about the performers?”

“Performers?”

“Yeah, in the town plaza.” Liang pointed to her right. “There are bards, poets, acrobats ‘n more over there, all entertainin’ people to make a livin’. It’s fun watchin’ ‘em perform.”

“Let’s go take a look, then.”

Liang led him through a busy street for a couple of blocks before they emerged at the edge of the plaza. It was a hive of activity, with performers and townsfolk moving, talking, walking, milling about… just like the rest of the town, Spongebob could tell it would be easy to get lost in the plaza.

At that thought, he looked around for his friend. “Liang?” The squirrel was nowhere to be seen. “Oh, no,” he murmured to himself. He’d feared he would find himself separated from everyone in this enormous town, and within about fifteen minutes of their arrival, it had happened. What could he do? He didn’t know the first thing about Roserock aside from what little Liang had shared with him. However, since she knew Spongebob was interested in the plaza, he was certain the best thing he could do was to stay there until she found him.

Spongebob manoeuvred around the townsfolk until he could find a better place to watch the performers. When he found a small clearing, he headed for it as quickly as possible and realised he was standing nearby a bard who held an instrument similar to a clarinet. For a brief instant, he thought he saw Squidward holding the instrument, but once he shook his head and looked a second time, he noticed the bard was a different Bikini Bottomite: Nat Peterson. The fish raised the instrument to his lips and played a tune Spongebob didn’t recognise, but it was played well.

Hearing the notes made Spongebob think back to his home in Bikini Bottom, when he’d open his window or door and could hear his next-door neighbour practising his clarinet. Squidward wasn’t a good player, but he tried his best each time he played, and Spongebob admired him for that.

The thought of home and not being able to hear Squidward’s clarinet playing started getting to him. A thought swam to the surface of his mind: he and Patrick had been stuck in the game for about a week. Seven whole days of no Gary, no Squidward, no work, no Krabby Patties, none of it. Tears blurred his vision as the realisation set in. He already knew he and Patrick could be stuck there for months, but to have a week already pass and not really be any closer to getting out… it was just too much.

Spongebob covered his mouth with his hands as the tears started to fall. He didn’t want to bring attention to himself, especially not in a place as crowded as the plaza, so he quietly cried whilst listening to the hauntingly beautiful music of the bard who looked like Nat.

He didn’t know how long he stood there, but right about the time he’d finished crying, he felt a light touch on his arm, causing him to yelp in surprise. Spinning around, he spotted Liang at the edge of a crowd, looking around for him. She caught sight of his movement and waved before walking over to him.

“Where’d ya get off to?” she asked once she stood beside him.

“I lost sight of you,” Spongebob replied. “So I came over here to wait.”

Liang opened her mouth to respond, but she got a good look at the sea sponge. “Is everything alright?” Concern laced her tone.

Spongebob realised he probably looked as bad as he felt, and knew it was pointless to lie about it. “Sorry, I just… I heard this music and it made me think of home.”

“Well, don’t ya worry none.” Liang grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the bard. “It’s a lil’ too crowded this time of day, so we’d better find somethin’ else to do for a while.”

Spongebob let her guide him through the throng of people – their numbers seemed to have grown in the past few minutes – and out of the plaza. He used his free hand to wipe away his tears as he gazed about, trying to keep track of where they were and what shoppes and attractions lay about the town. There appeared to be some organisation with the layout of the various buildings, which he knew would make it much easier to navigate the huge town.

As his mind wandered, a thought struck him – someone had touched him earlier, and when he’d turned around, he’d seen Liang… at a distance. There was no way she could have touched him. Cold fear crept over him as he realised he didn’t know who’d gotten his attention. It could have been someone in the crowded plaza, but none of them had stood nearby him, despite his close proximity to the bard.

Liang finally stopped at an intersection. “Okay, we’re far enough away from the plaza, so we can discuss what to do next.”

Spongebob pushed down his fears and tried to focus. “Um… let’s try to find Pat—er, Thorstein in the places with food,” he said. “It’s getting late enough we should eat some dinner and head to the inn, where we can discuss how we’re going after Mad Eye Shipley.”

“Shh!” Liang waved her hand for silence. “Don’t ya start talkin’ about that kinda thing in public. Mad Eye’s got spies all ‘round town, and they won’t hesitate to take down any kinda threats to ‘im.”

“Oh, sorry. Then let’s just go find Thorstein so we can eat dinner together.”

“Sounds like a great idea, Azemar.” Liang grinned as she headed down one of the streets.

After they ate dinner at the tavern – Spongebob had purchased some vegetables from the produce market so they wouldn’t just have mutton – the three retired to the inn for the night. Since it was early enough, they sat on their beds and discussed their next course of action.

“The sooner we attack Mad Eye Shipley, the better,” Liang stated. “He doesn’t know we’re here yet, and he doesn’t know what we’re plannin’. It’s best to strike right away when he won’t be expectin’ us.”

“Didn’t you say he has spies all over Roserock?” Spongebob pointed out. “It’s possible the spies have seen us and heard what we’ve said. For all we know, there could be a spy right outside the window, listening to us right now.”

“Yeah?” Liang leapt off the bed and raced for the window, throwing it open. She looked around, then closed the window. “I didn’t see anyone.”

“They’re spies,” Spongebob replied. “We’re not going to see them if they’re good ones.”

Liang trudged back to her bed and sat. “So it’s pointless to be sneaky, huh?”

“We just need to get into the castle quickly, find Mad Eye Shipley, and defeat him.” Spongebob picked up the guidebook he had lying beside him on the bed. “Maybe there’s something in here about him…” He flipped through the pages, past all the information he’d already read through. “Aha, here’s something.” He pointed to a particular page. “It says he’s level fifteen, HP is 120 and he’s known for stealing items during a battle. Wonder why there isn’t a picture of him in here…”

“Level fifteen?” Liang raised an eyebrow. “With how tough ol’ Mad Eye is, I figured his level would be higher.”

“Your level was also much lower when we first met,” Spongebob said, “so he would be a lot tougher to you then. What is it now…?” He looked above her head.

_Liang Yuhan  
HP: 110/150 MP: 0/0  
LV 15_

“Hmm… your level is the same as his, but your HP is higher,” Spongebob observed.

“Might be because I’ve been battlin’ to get my level up, whilst Mad Eye doesn’t,” Liang said. She read her friend’s stats out loud:

_Azemar  
HP: 100/160 MP: 0/0  
LV 15_

“Looks like your HP is even higher, Azemar,” Liang remarked.

“That could give us an advantage,” Spongebob replied. “Let’s check on Thorstein.” He turned to face Patrick, who was sound asleep. The sea sponge rolled his eyes but looked at the stats still hanging above his head.

_Thorstein  
HP: 120/180 MP: 0/0  
LV 15_

“Why does Thorstein have such high HP?” Spongebob muttered to himself.

“Maybe because he’s a Viking?” Liang guessed.

“That’s right, I remember reading about that.” Spongebob held up his guide. “Vikings are tanks, so they need high attack and high HP so they can last longer.”

“That’ll come in handy against Mad Eye,” Liang said. “Especially if the battle takes a long time, we’ll need someone to quickly lower his HP while the rest of us heal up with potions.”

“It’d be nice to have a spellcaster, too.”

“Yeah, but we ain’t got one, so we’ll have to stock up on potions again before we go up against ‘im.”

“Do you think we could fight him tomorrow?”

Liang grew thoughtful. “I ain’t sure since our levels are all the same as Mad Eye right now. We should probably raise our levels a little bit more, to make sure we got the advantage.”

“Good point. So tomorrow we go outside town to fight some monsters to level up some more, and the day after that, we can challenge Mad Eye Shipley.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Liang nodded. “We might as well get some rest before mornin’, since it’ll be a long day.”

* * *

He waited until the talking stopped and waited several minutes longer afterwards. Once he was sure everyone in the room was asleep, he raised himself from his uncomfortable position and stretched up to peer through the window. He’d previously had to stay crouched below the window when the black belt had suddenly thrown it open, and he didn’t dare move again until just then. Thankfully, he’d just finished dispatching Shipley’s spies, who were trying to collect information on the newcomers. Since there weren’t any spies, the party’s attack on the town’s ruler would be a surprise… or so he hoped.

Now, he could see the occupants of the room were indeed asleep. He really wanted to go inside the room but didn’t want to press his luck. It had been a huge risk for him to get the knight’s attention during the day in the plaza, and the black belt would likely be on guard for any potential spies. It was best if he stayed outside.

He gazed up at the night-time sky, with its beautiful array of stars scattered across the heavens whilst the moon looked on from its vantage point. Someday, he thought, someday he’d be able to do more than hide around in the shadows… someday.

* * *

As Liang had said, the next day was spent just south of Roserock, where the trio worked together to battle monsters and raise their levels. It was gruelling, exhausting work, and the hours seemed to trickle by. They took a break at midday to eat lunch in town, then returned to the monsters outside Roserock. They kept at it until evening, when the sun began to set. They’d wandered pretty far from the town’s gate when they started losing daylight.

“We’d better get back to town,” Liang said, pointing in the direction of Roserock.

Patrick stooped to pick up his axe. “Yeah, I’m starving. C’mon, Azemar.”

Spongebob sheathed his sword. “Coming.”

Just as he took a step forward, his boot caught on a thick root sprouting from the ground and fell face-first into the grass. He took a minute to make sure he wasn’t hurt before pushing himself to his knees. Gazing about, he saw Liang and Patrick in the distance; apparently they hadn’t heard him falling. He scrambled to his feet and froze. For an instant, he thought he heard footsteps behind him, but they stopped at the same instant he did. He strained his ears, listening.

Nothing.

There had been no time for a possible second person to hide, so he knew if he turned around quickly enough, he’d see who was nearby. He took a deep breath and spun around.

Nobody.

He let out his breath. Maybe he’d just heard something like footsteps… No, wait. He squinted, catching sight of something in the distance. It was half-concealed by a tree, but there was definitely a figure standing there. He kept his gaze on the figure, who wasn’t moving, and thought he could recognise the shape of the silhouette in the dying light. He was sure it was someone he knew but couldn’t quite place them. It also confirmed his suspicions of only one person following and helping them. He knew calling out would be pointless, but he wanted to try again anyway.

“You don’t have to keep hiding,” he said, loud enough the person could hear him. “We could really use all the help we can get, and I’d like to properly thank you for all you’ve done for us.”

Silence.

Spongebob sighed.

“Azemar, where’d ya go?”

He turned in the direction of Liang’s voice. “I’m right here,” he called before turning back to the tree. The figure was gone. “Oh, barnacles,” he muttered.

Liang joined him a moment later. “Why are ya all the way out here, Azemar?”

He kept his gaze on the tree, certain the stranger was hiding behind it. “I fell down when we were leaving,” he explained.

“Well, come on, we’re almost outta daylight.” Liang grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

Spongebob continued watching the tree until it was out of sight.

* * *

The next morning, the trio awoke early and started preparing for their attack on Mad Eye Shipley’s castle. The first order of business was to eat breakfast, then go to the armoury and blacksmith to upgrade their equipment, stock up on potions and head over to the castle. Since none of them had been inside the castle, they didn’t know what to expect.

As they prepared to leave the inn, Spongebob picked up his helmet from the floor and suppressed a gasp. Lying underneath the helmet was a potion, along with a hastily written note that read, “Good luck.” Spongebob couldn’t place the handwriting but smiled, knowing it was the stranger who’d left it for him. He folded the paper and tucked it under his armour, treating it like a good-luck charm. He knew by the end of the day they’d defeat Mad Eye Shipley.

The trio ate breakfast quickly, then headed over to the armoury and blacksmith. They were sparing on equipment upgrades since they needed potions more than anything. When they finished buying potions, they made their way across town to the castle.

They paused before the massive building that rose before them. “Is this Mad Eye Shipley’s castle?” Spongebob asked.

Liang nodded. “Yep. It really ain’t changed much since the last time I saw it.” She regarded her companions. “Shall we go in, fellas?”

“I’m ready!” Spongebob held up a fist as Patrick nodded.

Liang led the way, pushing open the huge door at the front of the castle. It swung open with a loud _CREAK_. They stepped inside and gazed about them; they were in a large receiving room where a few fish milled about. Spongebob noticed right away the fish wore armour as opposed to typical peasant clothes they’d seen on the other NPCs.

One of the armoured fish approached them. “This is the castle of Lord Shipley,” he said. “State your business.”

“We’re here to see Mad Eye Shipley,” Liang replied. “We gotta appointment with ‘im.”

The fish frowned. “Lord Shipley doesn’t have appointments. State your true business or face the guards.”

Liang exchanged a glance with Spongebob. “Uh… we request an audience with Lord Shipley,” Spongebob replied.

The fish regarded him for a moment. “Very well. Wait over there until you are called.” He pointed to a bench against a wall.

“That was easier than I thought,” Spongebob muttered as he led the others to the bench. A few paces later, he stopped and gasped.

At the entrance to a different room, an awfully familiar snail slithered by. Spongebob felt as though his heart stopped for a moment. “Gary?!”

Liang, who had just passed Spongebob on the way to the bench, stopped and watched her companion running off. “Azemar, what’re ya doin’?”

Spongebob didn’t answer as he stopped at the doorway, looking around frantically. He spotted the snail a short distance away, heading towards a bookshelf.

“Gary!” he called, running to the snail’s side. “Gary, how did you get in here?”

“Meow?” The snail gave him a confused look.

“Of course your name is Gary,” Spongebob replied.

“Meow meow.”

“B- But… You _are_ Gary. I’d know my own pet snail anywhere.”

“…Meow?”

“Yes, you can keep snails as pets, Gary. Why are you asking such weird questions?”

“Azemar?”

Spongebob jumped in surprise at Liang’s voice. “O- Oh, it’s you, Liang.”

“Why are ya talkin’ with that snail?”

“He’s my pet snail, Gary,” Spongebob replied. “Though I don’t know how he got here.”

“Uhh… ya might wanna take another look at ‘im.”

Spongebob raised an eyebrow but did as he was told. He hadn’t noticed it before but perched atop the pink shell was a dark green hat. His eyes travelled upwards a short distance and his heart sank as he read:

 _Jayde_  
HP: 100/100 MP: 30/30  
LV: 15

“Oh, Gary,” Spongebob murmured, tears brimming in his eyes. Of all people to be trapped in the game, he’d never expected his own beloved snail to be one of them. To make matters worse, Gary was apparently one of the few who had stats above their heads, meaning he was supposed to join their party and defeat the black wizard. He couldn’t make himself drag Gary into the fray.

“Meow, meow meow,” the snail meowed at him.

“Uh, s- sorry, I thought you were my pet snail,” Spongebob apologised, feeling awkward.

“Meow, meow.”

“So it’s Jayde? Er, nice to meet you, Jayde. I’m Azemar and this is my friend Liang Yuhan.”

“Nice to meet ya,” Liang greeted, waving.

“My other friend, Thorstein, is back there.” Spongebob jerked his thumb behind him.

“Meow. Meow meow, meow.”

Spongebob blinked. “You… You want to help us?”

“Meow meow meow, meow meow.”

The sea sponge was speechless. No matter how much he wanted to keep Gary – or rather, Jayde – from fighting, the little snail insisted on coming along. It would make things much harder on him, but Spongebob was determined to protect him. A thought occurred to him as he re-read Jayde’s stats: the snail had MP. Perhaps he was a spellcaster, which is exactly what they needed.

“Gar—er, Jayde, what’s your uh, occupation?”

“Meow.”

“Beastmaster?” Spongebob tried to recall the various character classes in the game but couldn’t remember that one.

“Meow, meow.”

“That’s not a type of spellcaster, is it?”

“Meow.”

Spongebob sighed. He’d hoped Jayde was a white mage, since that class was known for casting healing spells on the party. It would have been a fantastic asset to have and would keep Jayde from the worst of the fighting. But with a beastmaster, there was no telling what could be done with those thirty magic points.

The only way to find out was to go into battle, and they were heading into their worst one yet.

“You can join us, Jayde,” Spongebob told the little snail. “But please be careful.”

“Meow.”

The trio, comprised of Spongebob, Liang and Jayde, were about halfway back to the bench when a voice rang out.

“Lord Shipley will receive you now, travellers!”

Spongebob gasped. “I’ll get Thorstein,” Liang explained as she started jogging away, “you take Jayde and go on ahead.”

“Got it.” Spongebob picked up the snail and tucked him under his arm. “Sorry, Jayde, but we need to move quickly.” He ran in the direction of the voice.

The party reassembled in front of the guard who had summoned them. Spongebob, Patrick, Liang and Jayde stood before the muscular fish who wore a complete suit of armour. Spongebob swallowed, knowing this was their first boss fight, and tried to keep his mounting anxiety under control.

“Lord Shipley is just behind these doors,” the guard stated, indicating the double doors behind him. “Are you ready to see him?”

Spongebob took a deep breath. “Yes, we are.”


	6. Chapter 6

The four party members stepped inside the room, and the doors creaked shut behind them. As before, Spongebob felt cut off from the stranger who’d been helping them along their journey. He remembered the note he’d placed under his armour and took comfort in the fact the stranger truly wanted to help them and was cheering for them from afar.

The place they’d entered was a dimly lit hallway; Spongebob took the lead. He felt his heart pounding with mounting fear, wondering just how evil and vicious Mad Eye Shipley could be. Liang’s description of his actions had sounded familiar, but it told nothing about the boss himself. However, he knew the first major step to getting through the game was to defeat the bosses, and he mentally braced himself for whatever horrors lay beyond the single wooden door at the end of the hallway.

Once they reached the door, Spongebob pushed it open; it moved with relative ease and little sound. He entered the room with the others and gaped at his surroundings. This room was larger and brighter than the receiving room, with the floors almost entirely covered in gold coins, jewels and more. Treasure boxes lay open in random places, overflowing with glittering gold objects and baubles. The support columns were made of gold, as was the huge chair positioned in the centre-back of the room. It was almost too much to look at.

Lounging on the chair was a man who wore an unbuttoned grey shirt, green pants held in place with a forest green cloth belt, and brown shoes. Strung about his neck was a gold necklace with some bauble dangling from the middle.

None of this was what caused Spongebob to gasp loudly.

“M… Mr Krabs…?!”

The crustacean seated before them straightened up and glared at them. “What be this ‘Mr Krabs’ ye speak of?” he demanded. “Why have ye come to the lair of Lord Shipley?”

Patrick turned toward his best friend. “Spongebob, why is Mr Krabs here?” he whispered.

Spongebob waved him off. Things were already confusing enough with facing his own work boss; in fact, he wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t know what Mad Eye Shipley looked like, and he didn’t know what to expect, but he certainly hadn’t thought of confronting the owner of the Krusty Krab.

Liang decided to speak up. “Mad Eye, we’re here to take back control of the town,” she declared. “We’re gonna defeat ya and stop the black wizard from continuin’ his evil reign on this land.”

Shipley stared at the black belt for several moments. “Wait… you mean yer wantin’ to fight me? _Me_?”

“That’s right.” Liang put her hands on her hips and gave a smug smile.

“That be rich!” Shipley started laughing. “Ye little peasants want to fight me?”

Now Liang crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. “I ain’t lyin’,” she said. “We’re on a journey to stop the evil black wizard and restore peace to the land.”

Shipley wiped a tear from his eye as his laughter died down. “Yer a funny little thing, sayin’ such stories. There ain’t been a soul who could defeat the likes o’ me, not since I took over this town.”

“Then we’ll be the first.”

Shipley turned his attention to Spongebob. “Perhaps I misheard ye, lad. What was that you were sayin’?”

Spongebob froze. He’d spoken without thinking, since his mindset had been on the game for a solid week. The reality started to settle in on him: the first boss he’d have to defeat was Mr Krabs… or at least, someone who looked, talked and acted just like him. There were no visible stats above his head, but Spongebob also knew enemies never showed their HP until a battle started.

“Well?” Shipley frowned.

“U- Uh… I- I said, we’ll be the first.” Spongebob felt his confidence ebbing away as his voice grew quieter.

“And just how do ye propose to do that?”

The sea sponge didn’t respond. He knew he had to defeat all the bosses to get to Zurnas, but how could he possibly fight against his own work boss? He greatly admired and respected the Krusty Krab owner and viewed him as a second father. In turn, he also knew Mr Krabs thought of him as the son he never had. But now… now he had to raise a blade against him and not just fight him, but deplete his HP, likely ending his very life. He shrank from the thought.

Liang realised her companion was silent, and she dropped her arms to her sides as she looked at him. She noticed his terrified expression and wondered what about Shipley had him so scared. He’d shown a brave face plenty of times in the past, taking down monsters with ease, but at the sight of the tyrant who held control of the town of Roserock, the knight looked as though he wanted to run as far away as possible.

“Are ye just gonna stand there and waste me time?” Shipley demanded. “After such talk, I’d expected more from ye. But it looks like I’m faced with a bunch of weak babies who just wanted to talk and run away.” He returned to his previous lounging position. “Begone, the lot o’ ya, before I lose me temper and do somethin’ much worse.”

Liang grabbed Spongebob’s arm. “Azemar, what’s wrong with ya?” she hissed as she dragged him to a far corner of the room; Patrick and Jayde silently followed. “You were all excited ‘bout defeatin’ ol’ Mad Eye, but we get here and ya get scared? Why?”

Spongebob didn’t know how to answer. He still had no idea if anyone other than him and Patrick were truly stuck in the game, since anyone he’d recognised didn’t seem to be aware of the existence of Bikini Bottom, much less their normal lives. Even Mr Krabs was acting out the role of the first boss perfectly. He had thought those trapped along with him had experienced amnesia, but it didn’t explain why he and Patrick still had their memories intact. As such, there was no way to tell if he was fighting a video game character, or Mr Krabs himself, and he didn’t want to take the chance.

“I… I’m sorry,” he murmured, lowering his gaze. “It’s just that Mad Eye Shipley looks so much like someone I greatly respect, back in the land Thorstein and I come from. I don’t want to raise my sword against him.”

Liang thought over his words for a moment before responding. “If he looks like someone you respect, would he want ya actin’ like this?”

“Wha…?” Spongebob looked up at her.

“This person you respect who looks like Mad Eye, is he your mentor?”

“Er… y- yes.” It was the closest thing Spongebob could think of to describe his boss.

“Then your mentor wouldn’t want ya mopin’ about like this, would he? He trained ya how to fight and defeat opponents, no matter who they looked like. If your mentor got possessed by a demon and tried to fight ya, would ya run away all scared?”

“Um… no.”

“Then take out yer sword and fight Mad Eye Shipley. Your mentor would want ya to strike down anyone who looked like ‘im, since they’re an imposter. Make your mentor proud, Azemar.”

Spongebob knew Liang meant well, as Mr Krabs had taught him no such thing. But she did have a point; Shipley may have looked, sounded and acted like Mr Krabs, but he _wasn’t_ Mr Krabs. At least, that’s what he hoped.

He nodded. “I think I’m ready now, Liang… and thanks for the pep talk.”

“That’s what friends are for, Azemar.” She smiled as she led the group back to Shipley.

The crustacean straightened up again at the sight of the quartet. “What are ye weaklings still doin’ here?”

“We’re gonna take ya down, Mad Eye,” Liang replied. “Right, Azemar?”

Spongebob nodded a second time. “Right, Liang. We’re not backing down or running away.” To prove his point, he unsheathed his sword.

Shipley leapt to his feet. “Oh, so now the weaklings be wantin’ to tangle with me, eh? Fine, I’ll show ye what a huge mistake yer makin’!” He reached behind his chair and pulled out a large knife.

Spongebob leapt forward, swinging his sword. Shipley leaned back a bit to brace himself as he held up the knife and blocked the hit. As soon as Spongebob’s boots hit the floor, Shipley swung his knife, catching the knight’s arm. The sea sponge yelled in pain as he dropped to his knees. Liang took his place, jumping towards Shipley. She thrust her foot forward, kicking the crustacean in his stomach. He doubled over, and she delivered a powerful karate chop to his side.

Shipley grunted, but managed to knock Liang aside. Patrick took the moment of distraction to lift his axe and swing it in a wide arc. He moved too slowly, as Shipley easily sidestepped the attack and got in a good slice to Patrick’s armour as the starfish fell. Spongebob climbed to his feet, ignored the sharp pain in his arm, and raised his sword again. The instant Shipley turned his back after the hit to Patrick, Spongebob moved as quickly as possible, his blade practically singing as it sliced Shipley’s back. Shipley screamed as he toppled forward, away from Spongebob.

“Ya did it, Azemar!” Liang cheered as she got up.

“It’s not over yet,” Spongebob panted, keeping an eye on the boss. He took a moment to open his inventory and tossed a potion to Patrick and Liang. “Keep your HP up,” he instructed as they drank the red liquid.

Shipley slowly rose to his feet. A huge rip in the back of his shirt revealed a nasty gash on his back, and blood poured from it as he turned around. “Now you’ve made me angry,” he growled as he brandished his knife.

“Teamwork!” Spongebob shouted. “Do it like we practised!”

His companions scrambled into position, lining up in a row. Thorstein was first, swinging his axe as he met Shipley head-on. The crustacean swung his knife, but this time, Patrick reacted quickly enough to get his shield up, which took the blow. The motion caused the sea star to topple to the left, just as Liang flew behind him for another kick. Shipley grabbed her ankle and threw her over his head; she yelled as she crashed into a pile of coins.

Taking advantage of the distraction again, Spongebob, last in line, leapt forward and swung with all his might. Shipley turned in the nick of time and grabbed his wrist, squeezing hard enough for Spongebob to release his hold on the sword. It clattered to the ground.

Shipley glared at the knight, whose face was twisted in pain. “See what happens when ye try to take on the most powerful thief in the land?” he growled. “You and your friends weren’t able to defeat me.”

“N- No,” Spongebob managed to say, “but w- we did hurt you.”

Shipley frowned. “Aye, ye did. It’s been quite some time since someone’s been able to do that, and I must give ye a tiny bit o’ credit for that. But now it’s time for ye to go, along with yer weakling friends.”

He used his free claw to grab Spongebob by the throat, and he squeezed as hard as possible. He moved his right hand to add to the pressure. The sea sponge gasped, briefly, before he felt his throat being crushed, making it impossible to breathe. Shipley had let go of his right arm, and he used it to reach towards Shipley’s claw. Unfortunately, he was too weak, and his arm fell limply at his side. He glanced upwards and saw his HP bar was already red, and quickly depleting. His vision swam and he was unable to think as darkness started closing in on him.

Suddenly, the pressure on his throat eased, and he was sent plummeting to the floor. He lay there for several long moments, taking ragged breaths as the world came back into focus. Once he realised what had happened, he pushed himself up to his knees and looked up at Shipley.

The crustacean was frozen in place, his eyes wide with fright. Spongebob raised an eyebrow as he carefully stood. Shipley finally moved, very slowly, and the sea sponge remembered at long last to check on the boss’ stats:

_Shipley  
HP: 20/120 MP: 0/0  
LV 15  
Status: Poison_

Spongebob’s eyes widened. How in the world did Shipley get poisoned? He looked around for Jayde and spotted the snail taking cover behind a gold column. He recalled Jayde telling him he was a beastmaster, and such a character class could not cast magic spells, despite having MP.

So who…?

“L… Lad…” Shipley managed to say through gritted teeth. Spongebob turned back to him and realised the HP bar was growing ever smaller. That was why Shipley was trying not to move, as it would deplete his HP. “Please… could ye spare an antidote…”

Spongebob hesitated. This same person had just tried to choke the life out of him, yet the moment his own life was in danger, he begged for help. At the same time, the sea sponge saw so much of Mr Krabs in the thief and knew he couldn’t let the old crustacean die. He held up a finger.

Liang, who’d just regained consciousness, saw what Spongebob was about to do. “Azemar, no!” she cried out. “Mad Eye will betray ya!”

Spongebob jabbed his finger forward, bringing up the inventory.

Liang tried to stand but slipped on the coins at her feet. “Don’t do it, Azemar!”

He touched the item on the inventory list that read “Antidote – 10” and brought out a small bottle of a blue-coloured liquid.

“Azemar, stop!” Liang finally regained her footing and ran.

Just as she reached Shipley, the thief spun around and jabbed his knife deep into her belly. All Liang could do was manage a small gasp as she crumpled.

“Liang!” Spongebob screamed.

Shipley pushed the squirrel off his blade and turned back to Spongebob. “Thanks for the help there, lad. As a reward, I’ll let ye go, but not your friends.” He turned towards Patrick, who cowered behind his shield.

“No!” Spongebob yelled.

Shipley used his claw to rip the shield from Patrick’s hand and gave a vicious slash to his armour. The starfish went down almost instantly. The crustacean flung the shield to the side as he turned back to Spongebob. “Now… all yer friends are gone, and it’s only ye who are left, boy.”

“Wh… What are you going to do?” Spongebob asked fearfully, knowing he wouldn’t have time to pick up his sword.

Shipley took a step forward, and an enormous dragon reared up before him. Shipley’s eyes were huge as he stared at the creature. “H- How…”

The dragon roared, sending several coins and baubles rattling down the piles upon which they rested. Shipley dropped to his knees and covered his head with his claws. “Please don’t hurt me,” he begged. “I- I’ll surrender, I swear!”

Spongebob paid no heed to any of this as he sprinted across the room to Liang. She lay on the floor, blood pouring from her wound. A quick glance at her stats revealed her HP was nearly gone; only a few points remained. Acting fast, he opened the inventory again and extracted a potion. He ripped off the cork before pouring its contents into Liang’s mouth. Since the black belt didn’t move, Spongebob checked her stats again. Her HP had increased by twenty, as it normally did with the consumption of a potion. He looked back down at her and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her eyes flutter open.

“A… Azemar…?”

Spongebob smiled. “I got a potion to you just in time,” he explained.

Liang took a moment to gather her thoughts. “Wh… Why did ya help Shipley?”

Spongebob lowered his gaze. “I- I’m sorry, Liang, I… I still saw much of Mr—er, my mentor in Shipley, and I didn’t want him to die. I guess I’m still weak.”

“Naw, I probably woulda done the same thing if it was my mentor I had to fight.” Liang carefully pushed herself into a sitting position. “By the way, where is ol’ Mad Eye?”

Spongebob turned around and saw the thief was still cowering before the dragon. Liang also looked and gasped. “Where’d that dragon come from?” she asked.

“I dunno…” Spongebob’s voice trailed off as he remembered what he’d been told not so long ago. He checked for Jayde again and spotted the snail still hiding behind the column but was glowing with a soft blue light. Another glance at the dragon revealed it, too, was glowing with the same light. “Ohh, that’s what a beastmaster is.” Spongebob nodded appreciatively.

“M- Meow,” Jayde grunted.

“Oh!” Spongebob could now see the snail was sweating with effort, and his MP was nearly out. The knight knew it took a lot to keep the dragon under Jayde’s control, so he needed to do something about Shipley before the dragon disappeared. He returned to the crustacean’s side and knelt. “Shipley, I know you’re not a bad person,” he said. “You just need some guidance to help you on the correct path.”

“A- Aye, that’s it.” Shipley nodded, still terrified. “I’ll do whatever ye say, just please, send that creature away.”

“Okay, Jayde, you can let ‘em go.” Spongebob nodded at the snail, who let out his breath and lost the blue glow. At the same instant, the dragon disappeared in a puff of smoke.

“Oh, thank ye, thank ye.” Shipley lowered his arms and stood. “I had no idea ye had a beastmaster in your party; I wouldn’t have done all that I did if I’d have known.”

“I think the idea was for ya to _not_ know, Mad Eye,” Liang retorted, having joined Spongebob.

“What’re ye going to do with me?” The crustacean asked.

Liang turned to Spongebob. “What do ya think, Azemar?”

Spongebob grew thoughtful. He had no proof any of his friends were truly stuck in the game; at the same time, he also didn’t want to leave someone like Mr Krabs out of his sight. “Maybe we could have him join us?” he suggested.

“I dunno,” Liang replied. “Mad Eye is a thief, after all, and can’t be trusted.”

“I’ll show ye lubbers ol’ Shipley can be trusted,” the crustacean stated, holding up his knife. “I’ll stake me reputation on it, and if I ever go back on me word, ye can help yourself to all me gold in this room.” He spread his arms wide, indicating the gold about him.

Spongebob was speechless. He knew his boss was greedy and refused to part with any money he earned, so to give such a statement, even in a game, spoke volumes about him. “I think we should trust him,” he told his companion.

Liang still looked doubtful. “Alright, but I’ll be watchin’ ya, Mad Eye.”

“Please, call me Shipley.” The thief smiled as he tucked his knife under his belt. “I don’t know how the whole ‘Mad Eye’ nickname came about, and I really don’t like it.”

Liang nodded. “Okay, Shipley, I’m keepin’ my eye on ya.”

Spongebob glanced about the room; Patrick was carefully standing, and Jayde was still hiding behind the column. “It’s okay, guys,” he called to them. “Shipley’s going to join us.”

As they approached the others, Shipley turned his attention to the knight. “Is this yer entire party, boyo?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

“Ye don’t even have a spellcaster?” Shipley’s tone was incredulous.

“Er… no,” Spongebob admitted, “but we haven’t encountered one yet.”

“Then how will ye heal us all? Me health is pretty low.”

“Mine, too,” Liang added.

“I could use potions on everyone,” Spongebob replied, opening his inventory. “I only have seven left, though.” He gave one potion to Patrick, three to Liang and three to Shipley.

“What’re ya gonna do about this room?” Liang asked Shipley as they drank the potions. “And this castle?”

“I can lock up the room,” Shipley answered, “and let me servants keep runnin’ the castle.”

“Aren’t you going to take any money with you?” Spongebob asked as he picked up his sword and led the group towards the door.

Shipley laughed. “Are ye kiddin’, lad? I ain’t lettin’ anyone have any of me gold ‘n treasures. Besides, don’t ye have plenty of credits?”

“Well, yes, but…” Spongebob froze as a thought struck him. “W- Wait.” He held up a hand, halting the others.

He strained his ears to listen. The gold lying about lent to the brightness of the room, so it was impossible to hide in any shadows. There was still the possibility of someone hiding behind one of the columns. As the silence stretched on, he could tell the five of them were the only occupants; whoever or whatever had caused Shipley’s earlier Poison status was no longer in the room.

“What is it, Azemar?” Liang asked after a few moments.

Spongebob lowered his hand. “It’s nothing, I just thought I heard something. Let’s go to the inn to properly heal.”

When everyone had left the room, Shipley closed the door and fastened a padlock just above the handle. He slipped the key into his pocket and followed the rest of the party out of the castle. To Spongebob’s surprise, the crustacean didn’t speak to any of the servants on their way out; he only followed his new companions without a word.

Once they were outside, Liang took the lead as they crossed through the town towards the inn. Nobody spoke; Spongebob thought it was for the best, as he was still on the lookout for their mysterious helper. It was impossible for anyone in his party to have afflicted Shipley with Poison, as none of their weapons had such an enhancement, and none of them were spellcasters. There had to have been an extra person in the room, however briefly, who caused the status ailment and helped turn the battle in their favour.

One person came to mind who could do such a thing.

When they reached the inn, Shipley was limping, and Liang was holding a hand to her stomach. It was a long walk to the inn, and it had worn them down, despite their partially recovered HP. Spongebob told the others to go inside. He glanced around the street, then headed towards the south gate.

He stepped outside the town, still looking around. He couldn’t let this continue any longer, not after all the help they’d received to this point. The knight listened for any tell-tale signs of the stranger, and, finding none, kept walking away from the town. He ignored the throbbing in his arms and pain in his throat as he looked and listened, heading in the direction of the nearest clump of trees.

At last, he stopped a few yards away from the trees. The wind gently rustled the grass at his feet. He still saw no sign of the stranger, but he could tell they were nearby.

“Come on out!” he called. “You don’t have to keep hiding from us. None of us will hurt you; even Mr Kr—ah, Shipley is in no condition to do anything.” He took a step closer to the trees. “Please… you’ve helped us out so much, and ever since Thorstein and I were first saved from the monster swarm, I’ve wanted to meet you… so I could thank you.”

For several long moments, he heard nothing. About the time he was ready to give up and return to town, he spotted the figure emerging from behind a tree and slowly making their way towards him. The sea sponge had thought the figure looked familiar, and once they stepped from the trees and into the afternoon light, he realised why.

Spongebob gasped. “Sq… _Squidward_?!”

The octopus standing before him raised an eyebrow. “Squidward? What’s that?”

Spongebob blinked, taking the time to look over the newcomer. He wore black boots on all four feet, and his outfit was crimson red with gold trim and belt. A red cloak fluttered in the breeze behind him. Perched on top of his head was a red hat with a white band, and a black glove covered each of his hands.

The sea sponge had never seen a spellcaster dressed in red before. His eyes drifted upward to read the stats hovering above the hat:

 _Avior_  
HP: 130/150 MP: 10/20  
LV 17

He realised the spellcaster was still giving him a confused look. “Oh, uh… s- sorry, I thought you were someone else.”

“My name is Avior,” the octopus replied, “and I’m a red mage.”

“Red mage?”

“Yes.” Avior averted his gaze. “Red mages and red wizards are a bit of a rare breed, since most spellcasters prefer to study either black or white magic. Reds take both paths, though it’s much harder to learn how to deal damage _and_ heal one’s companions.”

Spongebob stared at Avior for several moments. The mage had answered his question about how their “helper” could both destroy monsters and heal status conditions and HP. However, he could hardly believe such a powerful character class was represented by Squidward, of all people. He was sure his next-door neighbour and co-worker would have gone for the bard class, since Squidward loved music so much.

“Wow,” the knight marvelled. “You must be very powerful, Sq—uh, Avior.”

The red mage shrugged, still not meeting his gaze. “Not particularly,” he admitted, “but that’s why I started my journey.”

Spongebob started to see some noticeable differences in Avior that stood apart from Squidward. First and foremost, he’d helped the party repeatedly. Second, he seemed shy, which explained why he’d stayed hidden for so long. Third, Avior had an air of sadness and loneliness about him, as opposed to Squidward’s usual misery. It would be far too easy to think Avior wasn’t Squidward; however, if he really was Squidward trapped in the game with amnesia, he wouldn’t act like he normally would.

The sea sponge caught himself being quiet for too long again, and he cleared his throat. “Ah, er, I’m glad you decided to go on your journey, since you’ve saved our lives many times. I really can’t thank you enough for it, Avior.”

The mage glanced in his direction, nodded once and looked away again, though his face looked red. The colour nearly matched the crimson garments he wore. “I- It’s nothing,” Avior mumbled.

“It’s not ‘nothing’,” Spongebob insisted. “A person’s life is way more than ‘nothing’… Even your life, Avior.”

The mage’s blush deepened, but he remained quiet.

“In fact, I’d like you to join our party,” Spongebob continued. “We really need a spellcaster on the team, and you’ve already proven many times you’re more than capable for the job. You don’t have to hide anymore, either. What do you say?”

Avior rubbed his arm absently, keeping his gaze away from the knight. He appeared to weigh his options for several moments before shaking his head and frowning. He finally met Spongebob’s gaze, and for a brief instant, the latter thought he saw an emotion there he’d never seen from Squidward. Before he could figure it out, it was gone.

“I’ll… join your party,” Avior said.

“Hooray!” Spongebob jumped forward and wrapped his arms around the red mage in a hug.

Avior flinched, looking uncomfortable. “Are the others at the inn?” he asked.

Spongebob let go of him. “Yeah, they’re resting to recover their HP, since there wasn’t any faster way. Until now, of course.” He smiled at the mage, who averted his gaze again. “C’mon, let’s go so you can meet the rest of the party.”

He took hold of Avior’s hand; the latter seemed taken aback at the sudden contact again but let the sea sponge lead him back towards town. After a few moments, he spoke up. “Your HP is very low,” he quietly observed.

“Huh?” Spongebob looked up at the red health bar above his head; he’d forgotten about it during the conclusion of the boss fight as well as finding Avior. “O- Oh, right. I’ll be okay until we get to the inn.”

Avior stopped; since Spongebob was still holding his hand, he was forced to halt. “I’ll take care of it right now.” He held up his free tentacle and concentrated.

As the red mage glowed with a soft white light, Spongebob saw his health bar increasing a bit before turning yellow. “Thanks, Avior.” He grinned.

The light around Avior faded. “It’s not much, but it’ll get you back to Roserock safely.” He pointed to some figures in the distance. “There’s a swarm of monsters coming; if you’d left your HP alone, they might have been able to reduce it to zero.”

Spongebob nodded appreciatively. Avior had barely been with him for more than a few minutes, and his abilities as a spellcaster were already coming in handy.


	7. Chapter 7

“How did you find me and Thorstein?” Spongebob asked.

“I was travelling through the forest when I heard you two talking,” Avior replied. “When I came closer, I saw you were having trouble with that monster on your leg, so I waited to see what would happen after your friend removed it. I could tell you both were unfamiliar with this land, and I decided to help once I realised you didn’t know how to fight the monster swarm.”

“I see. Were you the one who gave me the guidebook?”

“Yes.”

“It’s really helped me out a lot.” Spongebob smiled. “Oh, were you also the one who touched me when I was asleep?”

Avior hesitated. He and Spongebob were walking back towards Roserock; they’d recently defeated the monster swarm the mage had previously pointed out. Thanks to Avior’s healing, Spongebob was able to defeat the monsters with little difficulty. “Er…”

“It was you, wasn’t it? You were also the one who got my attention in the plaza yesterday.”

Avior looked away. “Y… Yes. I’m sorry, I… I just acted without thinking…”

“It’s okay,” Spongebob assured him. “I had a feeling it was you the entire time.” He paused in front of the town gates. “But I can’t help but wonder why.”

“I…” Avior still didn’t meet his gaze. “Y- You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“I might.”

The red mage bit his lip, seeming to have difficulty getting the words out.

Spongebob moved to stand in front of him and gazed up at him. “It’s okay if you think it’s weird or bad or anything like that; I’m curious why you’d do such a thing when I was asleep. You’ve already done so much for me, Thorstein and Liang, and I’ll always be grateful for it. I’m also happy you finally stopped hiding and are joining the party.”

Avior sighed, looking defeated. “A- Alright, I’ll tell you. I… I feel a connection.”

“Huh?”

The mage finally returned his gaze to the sea sponge. “It’s hard to explain, but I feel as though we were meant to meet like this. Not your Viking friend, but you, Azemar.”

Spongebob blinked. Come to think of it, when he’d asked his questions just a few minutes ago, he felt like he already knew the answers before Avior spoke them. He was also more than simply happy to finally see the red mage and talk to him; it was more along the lines of elation. But why?

“I know it’s ridiculous,” Avior muttered, “and I’m sorry I said it.”

“No, no, it’s not ridiculous at all. In fact… I kind of feel the same way.”

“R- Really?”

“Yeah. It _is_ hard to describe, but there is a connection, isn’t there?”

“Yes, there is.” Avior started to look relieved.

“I wonder why it’s only with the two of us,” Spongebob mused.

“I don’t know. Can we go to the inn and meet the rest of your party?”

“Oh! Sure, we can do that.” Spongebob led Avior inside the town and down the road towards the inn.

Once they were inside, the sea sponge opened the door to the room he and he companions had shared the past couple of days. Patrick, Liang and Shipley were seated on three of the four beds, and Jayde perched on the headboard of the only unoccupied bed. At the sound of the door opening, they turned in the direction of the door.

“Hey, guys,” Spongebob greeted.

“Where’d ya go?” Liang asked. “We’ve been worried sick.”

“Sorry, I needed to find someone.”

“Did ya find ‘em?”

“Yes, and here he is.” Spongebob stepped inside the room and moved to the side so Avior could enter.

Liang’s eyes widened. “Hey… you’re a spellcaster!”

“I thought ye didn’t know any spellcasters,” Shipley added.

“I didn’t,” Spongebob admitted, “not at the time.”

“My name is Avior,” the red mage introduced himself, bowing. “I’ve been invited to join your party, if you’ll have me.”

“Of course!” Liang grinned at him. “Any friend of Azemar’s is a friend of mine. Name’s Liang Yuhan, and I’m a black belt.”

“I be Shipley,” the crustacean said, “and I’m a thief. Ye might know me as the ruler o’ this town.”

As Avior nodded, Patrick spoke up. “I’m Patr…” He glanced at Spongebob and coughed. “Uh, I mean… I’m Thorstein, and I’m a Viking.”

“Meow,” Jayde was the last to speak. “Meow, meow.”

“It’s nice to meet you all,” Avior said.

Liang turned her attention to Spongebob. “Hey, Azemar, is he the one who’s been helpin’ us up till now?”

“Yes,” the knight replied.

“Wow, how’d ya convince him to quit hidin’?”

“I thought it was best to not keep hiding in the shadows,” Avior answered. “It was very difficult helping you out earlier, and Azemar going out of his way to find me further proved I should join you.”

“So _that’s_ how I got poisoned earlier,” Shipley said. “Ye be sneakin’ around me castle, eh?”

“Not exactly. I entered the castle after Azemar’s party and stayed out of sight until I could tell they needed help.”

Shipley frowned. “I ain’t sure ye be so trustworthy, mage, but since Azemar be the leader and he says it’s okay, then I have to go along with it.”

“Ya ain’t got much room to talk, Shipley,” Liang pointed out. “After all, look at what ya did to this here town. And who says ya ain’t gonna turn tail back to the black wizard once the chance comes?”

“Wait, you folks be wantin’ to defeat Lord Zurnas?” The crustacean stared at them in shock.

“Yeah, that’s why we’re on this journey.” Spongebob turned to the thief. “We’re stopping Zurnas’ evil reign and restoring peace to the land.”

Shipley blinked. “Are ye sure ye can accomplish such a huge task, boyo?”

“Of course.” Spongebob nodded. “Well, we’re not heading straight to him; we’re travelling through towns, battling monsters along the way to raise our levels. Once we’re ready, we’ll find him and take him down.”

“That be a tall order, lad,” Shipley stated, “but I never go back on me word. I’ll stay with ye and help wherever I can.”

“Thanks, Mr Kr—uh, Shipley.” Spongebob smiled.

“How’s about one of us goes to get dinner for us,” Liang suggested, “and we eat here ‘fore headin’ to bed.”

“Who’s the least injured out of the six of us?” Spongebob asked.

Four sets of eyes fell on Avior, who started in surprise. “Wh- Who, me?”

“Jayde is the only one with full health,” Liang said, “but it ain’t right to ask a lil’ ol’ snail to do such a huge task. So you’re next, Avior. Azemar’s got lots of credits if ya don’t have much money on ya; get some from him.”

“I’ll do better than that,” Spongebob stated. “I’ll go with him.”

“But yer HP is low,” Liang pointed out.

“Yeah, but we’re in town, remember? I can get around just fine, too.”

“Well… alright but be careful.”

“I’ll be fine,” Spongebob assured her with a smile. “After all, I’ll have a spellcaster with me.” He turned towards the door. “C’mon, Avior.”

* * *

As he and Avior walked back to the inn, their arms full of food from the marketplace, Spongebob couldn’t help but feel awe of how quickly his party had doubled in size. The most notable addition was, of course, the red mage beside him. He wondered how much faster they’d progress through the game with a group of six, as opposed to the two or three he’d had to get used to the past week.

“Everything okay, Azemar?”

Spongebob looked up at the mage. “Huh?”

“You seemed lost in thought. If there’s anything you want to talk about, feel free to do so.”

Spongebob hesitated. He knew he couldn’t tell Avior about his uncanny resemblance to Squidward, nor could he explain about their being trapped in the game. He also wasn’t sure how much he could say about the connection they both felt between each other, since he wasn’t able to put it into words, and he never had that feeling with his next-door neighbour.

“I was just thinking about how quickly the party’s grown,” Spongebob said at last. “Just yesterday, there were only three of us, and now the number has doubled.”

Avior nodded in understanding. “It can be a bit overwhelming,” he agreed. “It’s part of the reason I’d kept my distance for so long.”

“Why did you stop hiding, then?”

“I’m… not sure,” Avior admitted. “I knew there was a connection we shared, but I didn’t know why or how, and… well, I didn’t think you’d want a spellcaster like me in your party.”

“Are you kidding?” Spongebob gave him an incredulous look. “A spellcaster would’ve saved us many times over up to this point; your help would have been invaluable.” He stopped himself, realising Avior had already done as much. “O- Oh, I guess you’ve already done that, huh?” He gave a nervous laugh.

To his surprise, Avior gave a little smile. “I guess I have.”

Spongebob’s heart felt lighter at the sight, and he smiled. “See? That’s why I wanted you to join us, because of the help you’ve provided. I’m extremely glad you decided to join us, too; it’s a lot better than hiding all the time and wondering ‘what-if’. Now you can help whenever and wherever, and the rest of us can help you and make sure you’re eating well and not having to get by in dangerous conditions all alone.”

“I appreciate you letting me join, as well as standing up for me earlier when Shipley said I couldn’t be trusted.”

“To be honest, Liang thought the same thing as well.”

“She did?”

“Yeah, when you were still hiding. She thought you might be working for Zurnas, but I was sure you weren’t.” He paused, hoping his next words would be understood correctly. “When we realised it came down to trust, and she asked if I trusted you, I said I did.”

“Azemar…” The mage looked down at him, his expression nearly unreadable.

“H- Hey, there’s the inn!” Spongebob accelerated his pace and entered the building. He could only hope Avior hadn’t seen the colour in his cheeks.

* * *

After they finished eating, the party settled into their beds for the night. Patrick and Liang took up their usual places, Spongebob sat on the edge of his bed, and Shipley claimed the remaining one. Jayde resumed his place on top of the headboard of Spongebob’s bed.

Spongebob immediately realised a problem: Avior didn’t have a place to sleep. He looked around the room, only seeing the four beds, the table with chairs around it, the dresser and the wardrobe. His eyes darted to the mage, who was watching him.

Liang spoke up from her bed. “Hey… we ain’t got enough beds, do we?”

“It’s alright,” Avior said. “I can sleep in one of the chairs.” He gestured to the table.

“You can take my bed,” Spongebob offered, hopping off the bed.

The red mage shook his head. “I couldn’t do that to the party leader; besides, you have the lowest HP of all of us right now.”

“Why don’t you share?”

Spongebob turned at the sound of his best friend’s voice. “Share?”

Patrick yawned. “Yeah, you and Squidward aren’t that big, so you can share a bed with him.” He fell back on his own bed and promptly began snoring.

“Squidward?” Liang turned to Spongebob. “What’s he talkin’ about, Azemar?”

Spongebob had a feeling Patrick had forgotten to use their in-game names due to his sleepiness, and he thought fast. “Uh… I- I’m not sure. But he does have a point about sharing.”

“Are ya okay with that?” Liang asked.

The sea sponge hesitated again. In Bikini Bottom, he’d never shared a bed with Squidward, since the latter could barely stand just being in his presence. Avior was different, and there was their connection, but to sleep in the same bed together?

He turned to the red mage. “What do you think, Avior?”

The mage shrugged. “It’s not something I’m used to, but Thorstein does have a point. Are _you_ okay with it?”

“Y- Yeah, I am.”

“You don’t sound like it.”

“Er… W- Well, it’s like you said, it’s something I’m not used to, either.”

“If you don’t want to, I’m not going to make you do it.” Avior pulled out a chair from the table.

“No, don’t do that.” Spongebob took a deep breath. “We all deserve a proper place to sleep; after all, we’re equals. No one’s better than anyone else. It’d make things easier if we had more than four beds, but since we don’t, we should make do with what we have.” He gestured to his bed. “Get in, and once I take off my helmet and sword, I’ll join you.”

Avior looked doubtful but did as he was told. He removed his hat and set it on the corner of the headboard – away from Jayde, of course – and settled on the side of the bed Spongebob used to place his sword. The sea sponge knew he intentionally chose that side, since he’d been in their room at other inns and had seen where Spongebob typically laid.

As Liang and Shipley laid down and fell asleep, Spongebob set his helmet on the floor beside his bed and unhooked his sword from his armour. This was the first night he wouldn’t be sleeping with it at his side. He wasn’t concerned, of course; inns and towns were safe places where they couldn’t be attacked. Even the ruler of the town was softly snoring in a bed diagonal to him, so there was no possibility of an attack. The knight set the sword next to his helmet and climbed into bed.

He was instantly aware of the second occupant lying beside him, but for some reason, he didn’t feel worried or anxious. In fact, he felt a bit comforted, knowing for the first time in just over a week, the “stranger” was no longer skulking around whilst he slept was lying right beside him.

“Azemar,” came a soft voice from beside him.

“Yes, Avior?”

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Of course I am.” Spongebob turned to his left side and gazed at the mage. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You were really nervous before,” Avior replied, “so I was just checking on you.”

Spongebob smiled. “Thank you, Avior, I really appreciate it. But I’m fine.”

“I’m glad.” The red mage nodded. “Goodnight, Azemar.”

“Goodnight, Avior.” Spongebob moved so he was on his back again and closed his eyes. Just before he fell asleep, he realised for the first time he hadn’t cried since coming to the inn.

* * *

Spongebob’s eyes fluttered open and the first thing he saw was the wooden ceiling of the inn. He’d grown accustomed to the sight, though he still longed for the familiar surroundings of Bikini Bottom. His gaze travelled upwards, where Jayde had fallen asleep the previous night. Currently, the snail was gone, his slime trail revealing he’d moved from the headboard rather recently.

“Good morning, Azemar,” a familiar voice murmured from beside him.

Spongebob started in surprise, then remembered he’d gained a second occupant to his bed. He turned to his left and saw Avior gazing at him. “Good morning, Avior,” he greeted.

The mage pushed himself up to a sitting position. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, thanks for asking. You?”

“I did, thanks.” Avior grabbed his hat from the headboard and placed it on his head. “It’s been a while since I last slept in a bed.”

“Where did you sleep before?” Spongebob hopped off the bed and picked up his helmet.

“Usually sitting against a tree,” Avior replied as he climbed off the bed.

“That must’ve been uncomfortable,” Spongebob remarked.

“It was, but I got used to it after a while.”

“Well, now you can get used to sleeping in a soft, warm bed.” The sea sponge smiled at him.

Avior averted his gaze, then seemed to notice a lack of people in the room. “H- Hey… where’s everyone else?”

Spongebob gazed around the room; they were the only two there. “I dunno,” he admitted. “Maybe they went to get breakfast?”

“Should we go look for them?”

“We should, at least so we know where they are and if Liang has any plans for us.” Spongebob knelt and picked up his sword. He gazed at the hilt, where the two gems rested on either side and a third protruded from the bottom. Since he had more people in his party now, it was possible one of them might know about the sword.

He straightened up and held up the sheath. “By the way, Avior, how much do you know about swords?”

“Not much.”

“What about gemstones?”

“A little more than my knowledge of swords, why?”

Spongebob held out the sheath and pointed. “Look at the hilt.”

Avior leaned over the bed to get a better look. “Hm, three different coloured gemstones… that’s a bit peculiar.”

“Do you know anything about what it could mean?”

“No, sorry. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sword like that before, either.”

Spongebob felt his spirits sink. “It’s okay, I just thought you might know something about it.”

“Perhaps Shipley would know,” Avior suggested. “After all, he’s obsessed with wealth and his castle is full of expensive trinkets and jewellery.”

“That’s a good idea.” Spongebob brightened as he hooked the sword to his armour. “Let’s head to the tavern first and see if everyone else is there.”

* * *

At the tavern, they only found Liang, who was waiting for them at a table. “Howdy, sleepyheads!” She greeted with a wave of her hand.

“Hey, Liang.” Spongebob sat across from her, and Avior settled beside him. “Where’d everyone go?”

“Well, we decided to let y’all sleep in, since yesterday was an exhaustin' day,” the black belt explained. “We had breakfast here, then Thorstein went off to the farmer’s market and I dunno where Shipley went. Probably back to his castle to check on everythin’.”

“Why are you here?” Spongebob asked.

“I decided to wait on ya, since I knew you’d check here first.” Liang smiled. “We ain’t known each other for long, but I think I’ve figured out your mindset a bit, Azemar.”

Spongebob decided not to comment on the matter, since he was more certain it had to do with Liang being Sandy. His Texan friend had him figured out quickly after they’d first met. “I’m glad you waited for us,” he replied instead. “What were you planning to do today?”

“I’ve gotta make more mutton strips,” she answered. “There are a lot more of us now, and it’ll take even longer to get to the next town, so we’ve gotta build up our provisions.”

“Why don’t you buy some food from the produce market?” Avior suggested. “We can each carry a bag of food, if it comes down to it.”

“That’s a great idea!” Spongebob exclaimed.

Liang nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, but we really can’t afford to have a lotta food sittin’ out in the open. Enemies can attack the bags and we’d lose a lot of it just tryin’ to get to the next town. That’s why I use mutton strips, since they can fit into smaller bags and makes it much harder for enemies to see and attack.”

“We can still bring fresh food,” Avior pointed out, “but eat it first. That way, the mutton strips will last longer. We can all carry those bags as well.”

“Y’know, ya have a good point. I’ll still need to make extra, but it won’t be quite as hard on us if we also have a bit of fresh food and have everyone carry the strips.”

“Everyone except Thorstein,” Spongebob added. “I still have to carry his water canteen.”

Liang chuckled. “Yeah, we better keep the water ‘n food away from him till we’re all ready to eat.”

“So aside from the mutton strip-making, what else are we going to do?”

“We should stay here for at least today,” Liang replied. “If we need to stay a second day, we can do so. But we need to rest up for at least one day before headin’ out. You ‘n Avior can do whatever you want, but make sure y’all are back at the inn at sunset. We’re gonna discuss what we’re doin’ tomorrow then.”

Spongebob nodded. “Good idea, and thanks for staying here to keep us updated.”

“No problem!” Liang grinned as she stood. “I’m gonna go ahead and get started with the strips; you two enjoy the rest of the day.” She headed out of the tavern.

* * *

After they ate breakfast, Spongebob and Avior walked across town to the plaza. “I wasn’t able to properly appreciate the entertainment there yesterday,” the former explained as they walked, “and you were focused on staying out of sight. But now, we can both see what the plaza has to offer, and not worry about being lost or not being seen.”

Avior nodded. “That’s a good idea. We can think about what to do afterwards as well.”

Spongebob voiced his agreement as they entered the plaza. Since it was mid-morning, the crowd wasn’t as thick as the previous day, but several fish put on various performances regardless of the size of the audience. One played a lute, one did a silly dance, one juggled several balls and one had set up an easel to paint. Spongebob found himself standing a short distance away from the painter, though he was at an angle where he could see what was being painted. Avior stood beside him.

“That painter sure is talented,” Spongebob remarked as he watched the fish at work.

Avior nodded. “Yes, though I can’t help but wonder why he’d want to paint in a place like this.”

“What do you mean?”

“The plaza gets crowded quickly,” the mage explained. “It would be far too easy for the painter’s supplies to get broken or lost, and someone could accidentally bump into the easel and ruin a perfectly good painting. He really should be in a place less crowded, like the edge of town.”

With the way Avior spoke, it sounded to Spongebob as though Squidward himself was talking about the ideal place to paint. It sent a pang through his heart, knowing it was yet another reminder that he was still trapped in the game. Despite his connection to the red mage, he still wanted to go home to Bikini Bottom.

It took Avior a few moments to realise the knight at his side was quiet, and he got an uneasy feeling something was wrong. He looked down, confirming his suspicions. “Azemar, what’s wrong?”

Spongebob shook his head, fighting back his homesickness. “It… It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“It’s not ‘nothing’,” Avior insisted. “I can tell something’s really upsetting you. It’s probably the same thing that’s upset you for several days now. Please tell me what’s wrong; I want to help.”

He wanted to be touched by the mage’s words, but Spongebob knew there was nothing Avior could do to get him out of the game and back home. Instead, he recalled what he’d previously told Liang. “I’m just homesick,” he replied. “Thorstein and I come from a land far away from here, and sometimes I really miss it.”

“Why have you come here, then?”

“To fulfil the prophecy. Your land has one, where two strangers from a distant land come to defeat the evil black wizard and restore peace to the land. Thorstein and I are those two strangers.”

“How do you know that?”

Spongebob was caught off-guard, his homesickness forgotten. Liang had not asked him such a question, and he didn’t know how to answer. If he was at home, he knew the answer: the two “strangers” were the two players. However, inside the game itself, he’d have to come up with a different answer.

He thought quickly. “Er… it’s a prophecy in our land, too.”

“Come again?”

“The land Thorstein and I come from, we have a prophecy as well. Two warriors chosen by the goddess are to travel to a distant land and save the people from the evil that plagues it. We were the chosen ones and have been sent here to rid the land of Zurnas’ reign of terror.”

Avior nodded but didn’t seem to completely buy the story. “So you and your friend came here a week ago?”

“That’s right.”

“I see. Can we go somewhere else now?”

Spongebob was surprised by the question. “Uh, sure, where did you have in mind?”

“Follow me.” Avior strolled out of the plaza; Spongebob had no choice but to follow.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here are ref sheets of the six-member party if anyone wants or needs visuals, [click/tap here](https://twitter.com/spongebob2600/status/1308706011331670016)  
> I drew all of these myself

Spongebob sat on the edge of the fountain next to Avior. The red mage hadn’t said where he was taking them; instead, he silently made his way to the centre of town and sat on the edge of the large fountain. His expression was unreadable, but thanks to their shared connection, Spongebob knew Avior wasn’t too happy with him, though he didn’t know why.

“Why are we here?” Spongebob asked.

Avior took a slow, deep breath, letting the soothing sounds of the water behind him keep his temper in check. “Because we need to talk privately,” he answered.

“Oh?”

“I know you’re lying to me, Azemar.”

“Y- You do?”

“Did you forget about our connection? It’s still hard to explain, but I’ve been getting a good idea of your emotions as of late. It might be because of the time we’ve been spending in closer company, though I can’t say for sure. But when you told me about your land’s prophecy, I could tell it was something you made up.” He turned his head to gaze at the knight sitting beside him. “Please don’t lie to me, Azemar; I want to trust you, as you’ve already placed your trust in me.”

Something about his words made Spongebob want to confide in him, but at the same time, he knew the mage wouldn’t understand the concept of him being trapped inside a video game. Even he couldn’t explain it. All he could do was stick close to the truth without giving away everything.

“Okay, I’ll be honest with you, Avior. I can’t explain everything because I don’t understand it myself, but Thorstein and I come from a completely different world.” He didn’t wait for a reply as he continued, “In fact, our names aren’t even Azemar and Thorstein. Neither of us know how or why we’re here, only that we should defeat the black wizard Zurnas so we can return to our world.”

Avior was silent for several long moments. Spongebob tried to keep his anxiety down by focusing on the sounds of the fountain. Finally, the red mage spoke up. “So what _is_ your name?”

“Spongebob Squarepants.”

“Are you a knight in your world?”

“No.”

Avior nodded. “That would explain why you were so inept at fighting when I first saw you in the forest. The truth also sounds a lot less glamourous than the story you’d made up before.”

“But it _is_ the truth, Avior.”

“I believe you, Spongebob.”

For some reason, hearing his name coming from the red mage didn’t sound right. “U- Um, you can keep calling me Azemar; I don’t want the others knowing the truth about where Thorstein and I come from.”

“Good point. So what’s Thorstein’s real name? And what’s it like in your world?”

Spongebob was relieved to know Avior wasn’t mad at him anymore, and he was treating the matter seriously. “Thorstein is really Patrick Star, and he’s my best friend. And no, he’s not a Viking in our world. It’s kind of hard to explain what our world is like; it’s so much different than this one. But everyone in the party looks exactly like people I know in my world, though they act differently.”

“Is that so?” Avior raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “Even me?”

“Well… yes.”

“Tell me about this person in your world who looks like me.”

“He’s my next-door neighbour, Squidward Tentacles. I like to think of him as my best friend after Patrick, but Squidward would disagree. He likes to play the clarinet, and dance, and paint. He’s very creative; it’s always fun watching him create things and play music.”

“It sounds as though you really admire him.”

“I do, even though he yells at me a lot.” Spongebob smiled at the thought. “Squidward’s not a bad guy, he’s just misunderstood.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Spongebob slowly turned to look at Avior. “Kind of like you, huh?”

“Maybe.” Avior gazed deep into the knight’s blue eyes.

“I understand you just fine,” Spongebob’s voice grew softer. “Even if no one else does, even if no one else trusts you, I always will, Avior.”

The red mage found himself leaning closer to Spongebob; after a moment, he caught himself and stopped. He straightened up and looked away. “I, ah, er… I- I appreciate it, Azemar,” he half-mumbled.

Spongebob blinked a few times, not entirely sure what had happened. “S- So… what now?”

“I dunno.” Avior kept his gaze turned away. “I don’t mind just sitting here a while.”

“I don’t mind, either.” Spongebob leaned against him. “There’s something about the sounds of a fountain that helps one to relax and forget about their worries, even if it’s just for a little while.”

Avior was caught off-guard with the contact, but soon wrapped an arm around the knight. Spongebob let out a little sigh of contentment, and the mage knew it was more than just the fountain that helped him relax.

* * *

That evening, the party re-convened at the inn. Liang had them seated at the table; she’d found an extra chair in the lobby and had brought it in the room, so everyone had a seat. Jayde settled near the edge of the table beside Spongebob.

“Alright, y’all,” Liang stated as everyone sat. “We gotta long ways to get to the black wizard. It’ll be a long, gruelling, tedious journey, and I suggest we get goin’ as soon as possible. We’re all rested up from the fight yesterday, so there’s no reason to stay in Roserock any longer.” She turned to Spongebob. “Azemar, what’s our next destination?”

The sea sponge opened his guidebook and turned to the page with the maps. He gazed at it for a few moments, locating Roserock and determining the best path to take. “Um… looks like it’s Springwick,” he replied.

Shipley frowned. “That be the place where Garm rules.”

“Garm?” Spongebob raised an eyebrow.

“Aye, the best ranger this land’s ever seen.” Despite his words, Shipley didn’t look happy. “Lord Zurnas recruited him pretty easily into his army and stationed him at Springwick. Garm has honed his skills as a ranger and even has his own army of rangers, each nearly as skilled as he.”

“It sounds like it’ll be a tough fight against him,” Spongebob remarked.

Shipley nodded. “Aye, lad, it will be.”

The sea sponge flipped through a few more pages and found one with information about Garm. “Hmm… yeah, here it says he’s a ranger, and his level is… twenty-eight?!” He looked up at Liang. “How far away is it to Springwick?”

The black belt grew thoughtful. “I ain’t been out that far,” she admitted, “but I do know it’s several days away, even further away than Irongrove is to Roserock. Ain’t there some smaller town on the way?”

Spongebob consulted the maps again. “I’m not sure; it’s hard to tell with these maps. Maybe we’ll get some help along the way?”

“Maybe we could ask some of the townsfolk ‘round here,” Liang suggested.

“Won’t do any good, lassie,” Shipley replied. “The people who live in Roserock only know Roserock. I’ve lived here long enough to figure that out meself. If ye go straight from here to Springwick, you’re lookin’ at about a five-day journey. I used to have messengers travel back ‘n forth to Springwick to keep Garm posted on things, and the messengers told me it took ten days to get there ‘n back.”

“Why did you stop sending messengers?” Spongebob asked, curious.

Shipley lowered his gaze. “After some time, me messengers stopped comin’ back. I sent some spies to Springwick to find out why, and even some o’ them never returned. The ones who came back told me Garm was havin’ ‘em executed.”

The sea sponge’s eyes widened. “Executed?! Why?”

“I ain’t too sure,” Shipley admitted, “but methinks it’s because Garm figures he’s better ‘n me. Thinks I’m some washed-up old barnacle who doesn’t know anythin’. So he gets rid of me messengers ‘n spies to end our line o’ communication.”

“Why don’t ya report it to the black wizard?” Liang asked.

“Lord Zurnas ain’t worth botherin’ over somethin’ so trivial, girlie. He doesn’t care if his henchmen disagree or gets into fights; if one of us dies or gets killed, he just finds someone else to take our place.”

“That’s terrible!” Spongebob exclaimed.

“That be the way Lord Zurnas runs things, boyo.”

“No wonder ya surrendered so quickly,” Liang remarked.

“Aye, but I also grew tired of havin’ to answer to him. Ol’ Shipley is the captain of his own ship ‘n crew; I answer to no one.”

“Yeah, ‘cept Azemar here is the party leader,” Liang pointed out.

Shipley glared at the squirrel for a moment, then nodded. “Aye, but it’s different than workin’ under Lord Zurnas. Besides, once he’s defeated, we don’t have to stay together like this, do we?”

Spongebob didn’t answer right away. He was certain once Zurnas was defeated, he and Patrick would return home; what happened in the game didn’t matter. “Um… you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” he finally answered.

“See, lassie? I just have to stay with ye for a little while, until Lord Zurnas is taken down.” Shipley wore a smug look. “I can return here ‘n resume me duties as ruler, ‘n not answer to anyone ever again.”

Liang sighed. “I see we can’t convince ya to stay with us once we accomplish our mission, though I wouldn’t mind stickin’ around with Azemar and seein’ where his other journeys lead ‘im.”

Again, Spongebob hesitated. He could tell Liang was becoming a close friend in the time they’d travelled together, and he shared a connection with Avior, and was sure at least they would want to stay with him once they completed their journey. But he also knew it would be impossible for anyone other than Patrick to leave the game with him.

Avior, who’d been quiet for most of the conversation, picked up on Spongebob’s distress. He already knew why the knight was upset, thanks to their earlier conversation. “It’s getting late,” he said, changing the subject. “Why don’t we get some dinner, then go to bed? It’s an exceptionally long journey to Springwick, so we need as much rest as possible.”

“Ya gotta point, Avior.” Liang nodded at him. “Let’s go.” She rose from her chair and headed for the door; Shipley and Patrick followed.

“Thanks for the save, Avior,” Spongebob said.

The red mage nodded. “There seem to be some advantages with this connection we share,” he replied.

Spongebob agreed, though he wasn’t sure if the connection was entirely a good or bad thing. He knew he didn’t have to speak his concerns out loud, as Avior would be able to pick up on his feelings regarding the matter.

* * *

The next morning, Liang woke everyone early. After a quick breakfast, Spongebob loaded up on potions, antidotes and more. He got a few equipment upgrades for everyone as well, which included a short sword for Avior. The mage had been fortunate to get by without a weapon up to this point, but since he was a member of the party now, he needed to fight physically to make his MP last longer.

Liang had each member carry a water canteen, as well as a bag of dried mutton strips. The only one who didn’t get either one was Patrick; Spongebob was once again relegated with the task of rationing the sea star’s water and food. Shipley volunteered to carry their bag of fruits and vegetables Spongebob had purchased at the farmer’s market.

Once all the preparations had been made, the party headed north out of Roserock. Shipley took the lead, as he was more familiar with the route. For a while, conversation was at a minimum; Spongebob didn’t mind this, as it gave him time to think over things. His party size had doubled in only one day, and already he had companions wanting to stay with him after he and Patrick beat the game. He didn’t know how to tell them the truth; to be honest, he wasn’t even sure how he’d been able to confide in Avior. But now that one of them knew at least part of the truth, he really didn’t want anyone else to know. It was best to keep them in the dark, so they’d stay with him and help make the journey easier and faster.

At midday, they stopped to eat lunch. Shipley divided the produce he carried amongst everyone, noting how the bag was already significantly lighter. As they ate, Avior gently nudged Spongebob.

The sea sponge turned to him. “What is it?”

“I couldn’t help but pick up your emotions earlier,” Avior explained in a lowered voice. “It seems like you have a lot on your mind.”

“I do, but it’s okay. I’m just wondering about what will happen once we defeat Zurnas.”

The red mage nodded. “Understandable, though isn’t that a long way off? You should be more concerned with the present situation, where we’ll be fighting Garm. Things will happen as they come, Azemar, and it’s better to keep your focus on the things you can work on first.” He pointed to Spongebob’s stats, which showed him at level eighteen. “For now, we need to raise our levels to at least twenty-eight, and make sure not to lose all our HP on the journey to Springwick.”

“You’re right, Avior, and thanks.” Spongebob took a deep breath before smiling at the mage. “I’m very glad you’re here to help me stay focused.”

Avior seemed as though he was about to reply, but instead nodded a second time and took a bite of the fruit in his hand.

After lunch, they resumed their journey. They fought some monsters here and there, though the numbers were surprisingly scarce. Shipley had no explanation, and Liang hoped there would be greater numbers in the morning. At nightfall, they found a small wooded area to take shelter in for the night, and everyone except Patrick took turns keeping watch. Since his mind wasn’t on his concerns of what would take place post-game, Spongebob found it easier to focus on the monster battles and had little issue staying awake for a few hours whilst everyone else slept.

This pace was kept up for three days; each party member saw their levels rising slowly but surely. On the morning of the third day, Spongebob awoke with a strange feeling. He and Avior had slept beside each other in their sleeping bags, but he knew that wasn’t what made him feel off. Not knowing what else to do, he climbed out of the sleeping bag and rolled it up.

As he placed the bag in his inventory, Avior woke up. “Good morning, Azemar,” he greeted, just like he did every morning.

“Morning, Avior.” Spongebob left the inventory window open. “Do you want to put away your sleeping bag? I’ve got the inventory open.”

“Sure.” The red mage got out of the sleeping bag and rolled it up before handing it to Spongebob. “By the way, are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah, why do you ask?” Spongebob put the second sleeping bag in the inventory before closing the menu.

“Our connection, remember? You feel uneasy about something.”

The sea sponge sighed. “I can’t keep anything from you, can I?”

“Nope.” Avior gave him a small smile.

“I don’t know what it is,” Spongebob admitted. “I just woke up feeling like something is off.”

“Wonder what it could be,” Avior mused aloud.

Spongebob shrugged, trying to think over anything that had happened recently that would cause the unusual feeling. He certainly felt fine in the physical sense, and the party had travelled in the direction shown on the map, so what else could it be?

At once, it hit him: he and Patrick had been trapped in the game for two weeks. He’d hardly noticed the passage of another seven days; the first week seemed to drag by, but now the next week went in a flash. He recalled what happened when he realised he’d been there a week: he’d cried and cried. Now, for some reason, he didn’t feel any tears coming; in fact, he hadn’t cried in several days.

“Did you figure it out?” Avior’s voice broke into his thoughts.

“Y- Yeah.”

“What is it?”

“I… I’ve been in this land for two weeks.”

Avior blinked. “Is that all?”

“Well… yes.” Spongebob turned away, watching Liang doing some stretches a good distance away from the others. “You know Thorstein and I didn’t come here willingly, and we’re on this quest so we can go back home. I had a feeling we wouldn’t get out quickly, but for two weeks to have passed by so soon…” Now he felt an onset of tears, and he kept his focus on the black belt in the distance to keep from crying.

He felt a light touch on his head, and he turned to see Avior standing beside him. He was certain the mage could feel his sorrow and desperation to go home, which made him feel even worse. At this new wave of emotions, Avior gave him a sympathetic look.

“Listen, Azemar,” the red mage carefully began. “I know it hurts you a lot to be so far away from your world and everything you’ve ever known. I can feel how much distress it’s causing you. But we need to stay focused on the task at hand, no matter how long it takes to get there. How long did you think it would take, anyway?”

Spongebob set aside his sorrow as he tried to recall what he’d told Patrick on one of their first days in the game. “Um… I don’t know exactly how long it would take, but I figured it would be several months.”

“Then why are you upset at being here for only two weeks?”

Spongebob realised Avior had a point. They’d already defeated one boss in one week, and were almost at Springwick, where the second boss awaited them. If they kept up their pace, he and Patrick might be able to leave the game sooner than planned. “You’re right, Avior, this is no time to be getting upset. I need to stay focused on the goal, not how long I’ve been here.”

The red mage nodded, though Spongebob picked up a strange emotion coming from him: remorse. Before he could say anything, Shipley approached the pair. “Ahoy, me hearties!” the crustacean greeted. “Ready to get back on track to Springwick?”

“Yes, sir!” Spongebob grinned whilst saluting. He quickly caught himself and dropped his arm. “Ah, that is… yeah, we’re ready.”

Shipley didn’t seem to notice the knight’s slip-up. “Alrighty then, we be meetin’ up with the lassie ‘n the others.”

“Oh! Wait a minute.” Spongebob realised he’d completely forgotten to ask the thief about his sword, and he unhooked the sheath from his armour.

“What is it?” Shipley raised an eyebrow.

Spongebob held out the hilt. “Do you know anything about these gemstones, Shipley?”

The crustacean stepped closer and peered at the stones, each glittering in the morning light. “Hmm… they look valuable,” he muttered.

“Anything else?”

“It’s hard to say, lad. Stones be embedded in swords for their power, though sometimes it also be there to look fancy.” He gazed at the stones again. “Since these be different colours, I’d say it’s there for power. Where’d ye get yer sword from, anyway?”

“Um… it was a gift.”

“From who?”

“A… friend of mine, in the land I came from.”

Shipley nodded. “That friend sure has some money,” he remarked. “This kinda sword would fetch a high price on the black market.”

“Black market?” Spongebob blinked.

“Aye, lad. I ain’t associated with it in quite some time, but with Lord Zurnas’ reign, a black market has been runnin’ rampant across the land. I’d advise stayin’ away from it.”

“Good idea. So my sword is valuable, and the stones are there for power?”

“Aye. That’s about the best I can tell ye, boyo, so always keep yer eyes on it. There’s no tellin’ what kinda people live in Springwick under Garm.”

“I will, Shipley, and thanks.” Spongebob smiled.

“Yer welcome. Now, let’s be on our way; we’ll be eatin’ breakfast as we travel. The sooner we get to Springwick, the better.” Shipley headed away.

Spongebob turned to Avior, who still stood beside him. “Is everything okay?”

“I should ask you the same thing,” the red mage answered. “Do you like having to continue lying like that to everyone?”

It took Spongebob a moment to realise he was referring to his story regarding how he obtained his sword. Avior likely felt his emotions during that time. The sea sponge hooked his sword back to his armour before replying. “I don’t like it at all, but I really don’t have a choice. How could I tell Shipley the sword was just… _there_ the whole time since Thorstein and I arrived here? I don’t even know how I got the armour I’m wearing; it was on me as soon as we got here.”

“That would be hard to explain,” Avior replied. “To be honest, it’s still a bit difficult for me to wrap my mind around. But let’s not dwell on that now; we need to meet up with the others.”

“You’re right.” Spongebob kept pace alongside Avior as they caught up to the rest of the party.

* * *

“There it be.” Shipley raised himself enough to point with a claw. “That be the town of Springwick.”

“So why are we hiding?” Spongebob asked. He was the only one at the summit of the hill with Shipley; the rest waited at the bottom. The hill was positioned far enough away they could see the entry gates to the town, but it would be hard for anyone at the gates to see them.

“Because Garm’s a ranger, remember? His army’s comprised of rangers as well.”

“And we’re hiding because of that?”

“Aye, don’t ya know what a ranger is?”

“Well…”

“Rangers use bows ‘n arrows, lad. They be good at distance shootin’. If any of ‘em see ol’ Shipley comin’, any one of ‘em could start shootin’ and not ask questions.”

Spongebob cringed, imagining the possible carnage. “Ooh, good point. If Garm doesn’t like you, there’s a good chance he’ll try to do something bad once he sees you. But how can we get in without anyone getting hurt?”

Shipley grew thoughtful. “Hm… maybe we should divide our numbers,” he suggested.

“What do you mean?”

“There be six of us right now, so only three should go in first. They can find out about Garm and how he feels about me, then report back here if it’s safe.”

“What if it’s not safe?”

“Then we’ll have to go in with our weapons a-blazin’.”

“Why can’t we do that now?”

Shipley was taken aback. “Ye might have a point there, boyo. I ain’t too keen on fightin’ against Garm when I don’t know why he cut off our communication, but we may have to do just that.” He looked at Spongebob. “Ye ready to report to the others?”

Spongebob nodded. “I’m ready!” He pushed himself up off the grass and headed down the hill, with Shipley right behind him.

Avior was the first to speak when they reached the bottom. “What did you find out?”

“Springwick is just ahead,” Spongebob reported. “We’re heading to the town with our weapons drawn; Garm’s ranger army will probably start shooting at us once they see Shipley, and we’ll need to defend ourselves before entering the town.”

“I’m not sure I’d want to go into a town where they’re trying to kill us,” Avior remarked.

“We have to get inside the town,” Shipley insisted. “We ain’t gotta stay for long, but we need to defeat Garm.”

Spongebob nodded his agreement. “We may have to go in, fight and defeat Garm, then leave.”

The others thought over his words. “Are our levels high enough for that?” Liang asked, causing everyone to check each other’s stats.

Spongebob glanced at the stats as well: most were at level twenty-five, though Jayde was a bit behind at level twenty-four. He could feel Avior’s disappointment, which reflected his own. “It looks like we need to stay away for a bit longer,” the knight said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to go in with our levels this low.”

“But we’re runnin’ outta food ‘n water,” Liang pointed out. “We’ve gotta get more somehow.”

“Well, our main concern is Shipley,” Spongebob mused aloud. “If he’s seen, Garm’s army will probably shoot at him and anyone with him. They won’t know the rest of us. However…”

“We still shouldn’t go as a group,” Avior added, following his train of thought. “We don’t want to be recognised as a group when we attack Garm.”

“Then we should send two of us into town,” Liang stated, “just long enough to get supplies and come back out. There’ll be two so both can defend the other in case of enemy attack. Shipley can’t go, and Jayde shouldn’t go.”

“That leaves you, me, Thorstein and Avior,” Spongebob said.

Liang nodded. “Anyone wanna volunteer?”

“Why don’t I go with Azemar?” Avior suggested. “That way we’ll have both a physical fighter and a spellcaster for healing.”

Liang narrowed her eyes at him for several moments; the red mage looked confused. “We shouldn’t be sendin’ off our party leader all the time for dangerous missions,” she pointed out.

“Would you rather send Thorstein into town?”

Liang shook her head. “No, but I think I should be the one to go with ya, Avior. It looks a little less conspicuous for an unarmed black belt and a red mage to wander about town.”

Spongebob’s eyes widened in surprise. He didn’t know why Liang was suddenly acting so hostile, but he also realised it would be the first time since Avior had joined their party that they’d be apart from each other again. He felt a jolt of pain in his heart at the thought; almost instantly, Avior turned to gaze at him.

Liang, unaware of their connection, also turned in the direction of the sea sponge. “Does that plan sound alright to ya, Azemar?” she asked.

“Uh… y- yeah, it sounds good,” Spongebob stammered. “I’ll keep guard here with Shipley until you two get back.”

He caught the unhappy look Avior gave him a second before it went away, but there was no mistaking the emotions Spongebob could feel coming from him. It appeared the red mage was just as upset with being separated. Spongebob tried to send him feelings of encouragement, but it was difficult when he was also dispirited.

“C’mon, Avior,” Liang said as she headed away from the group. “The sooner we get into town and get our supplies, the better.”

Avior looked as though he wanted to say something, but since Liang was moving farther away, he gave Spongebob once last glance before he took off to catch up with the black belt. The sea sponge remained where he was, watching the red mage’s retreating back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I commissioned my friend Alele to draw the scene where Spongebob and Avior are sitting on the edge fountain, [check it out](https://twitter.com/AleleCoffee/status/1283836451948560384)


	9. Chapter 9

“Lad…”

Spongebob yelped in surprise when he felt Shipley’s claw touch his arm. “Y- Yes?”

Shipley gave him a concerned look. “Ye seem awfully attached to that mage,” he commented.

“Er, w- well… Avior has been following me and Thorstein for our entire journey,” Spongebob explained. “He’d stayed hidden from us for several days, helping from the shadows. I really wanted to properly meet him and thank him for all the help he’d given us, but he kept hiding. That’s why I’d told you before that we didn’t have a spellcaster in our party, since I hadn’t met Avior face-to-face before then. He only stopped hiding after you’d surrendered, and everyone went to the inn to heal.”

Shipley nodded thoughtfully. “That red mage be a mysterious feller, and I still don’t think he should be trusted.”

“I trust him,” Spongebob stated firmly. “I don’t care if no one else does, I’ll always trust Avior.”

“That just be yer opinion, boyo. Why do ye trust him so much, anyway?”

“Because he’s saved our lives many times over. Avior’s not a bad person, but it’s hard on him to open up to others since he’s used to being ostracised for being a red mage. That’s why he’d stayed hidden for so long.”

Shipley regarded Spongebob for a few moments. “Ye say he has a hard time openin’ up to others, yet he seems to have no troubles talkin’ with ye. And he spends most of his time around ye.”

“Er, well…”

“He doesn’t talk that much to the rest o’ us, lad. He ain’t proven his trustworthiness to anyone other than you. And now look: ye have to be away from ‘im for maybe an hour, and yer about to cry like a baby.”

“I’m not—”

“It don’t matter,” Shipley interrupted. “Methinks that mage is a spy workin’ for Lord Zurnas and be tryin’ to manipulate ye into givin’ away our plans ‘n strategies. He’s probably already reported that I’m betrayin’ the black wizard and is now tellin’ Garm ‘bout it. They’re takin’ me out as soon as I get close enough to their arrows. Just wait, boy, you’ll see I be right.”

Spongebob didn’t respond. He knew part of Shipley’s reasoning was paranoia at his betrayal of Zurnas, as well as the ended communication with Garm, and there would be no sense in trying to get the crustacean to think otherwise. On the other hand, he had a reasonable line of thought with Avior possibly manipulating him; it was rather peculiar the red mage had only warmed up to the party leader. It was natural to come to that conclusion, but he also knew he shared a connection with Avior, rendering it impossible to hide anything from him. Spongebob himself could feel the emotions coming from the red mage, and knew they were honest and pure.

Even now, if he concentrated a bit, he could feel Avior’s emotions, albeit a bit weaker than normal. The mage felt lonely and a bit scared, likely because of the danger he and Liang were in. There was some other emotion there, too, though Spongebob couldn’t put a name to it. All he could tell was that it was directed at him. He decided to ask Avior about it once he returned with their supplies.

Spongebob returned his focus to his companions. Patrick had leaned back against the natural incline of the hill and was dozing; Jayde was nearby Patrick, looking around; and Shipley kept glancing in the direction of Springwick. It was rather boring having to wait for his other friends to return, but he knew there was nothing they could do but wait. He settled down on the grass and kept his attention on their surroundings as well as Avior’s distant emotions.

* * *

He was jolted awake when he was hit with a powerful surge of fear. He gasped and leapt to his feet, brandishing his sword. “Avior?!”

It took him only a moment to realise he was standing nearby the hill, and Shipley gave him an odd look. Patrick and Jayde, a short distance away, approached the two, also bewildered.

“What be the matter with ye, boyo?” Shipley asked.

Spongebob looked around. “I… I think Avior’s in danger,” he replied.

“How do ye know?”

“I, ah…” Spongebob lowered his sword, not sure how to answer.

“I’m fine, Azemar.”

Spongebob’s heart leapt at the sound of the red mage’s voice. “Avior…!”

Liang and Avior emerged from the side of the hill; both carried a bag slung over their shoulder. The mage set down his bag at the same time Spongebob dropped his sword and rushed towards him. “A… Azemar?”

Spongebob flung his arms around Avior and hugged him. “Avior, I was so worried. What was with that fear I felt?”

The red mage patted his head. “I did that to wake you up,” he explained. “I could tell you were sleeping, so I thought it was an effective way to get you up quickly.”

Spongebob, who was still holding him, looked up. “Wait… you can do that?”

“I guess.”

“What’re ya talkin’ about?”

Spongebob’s eyes widened as he let go of Avior and turned to face his other friends. All four were watching them with confusion. “O- Oh, uh…”

“We shouldn’t hide it from them, Azemar,” Avior said from behind him.

“Y- Yeah…” Spongebob took a deep breath before addressing the others. “I don’t know how it happened, and it’s hard to explain, but Avior and I have some sort of connection. It’s not just a sense of… of closeness, or anything like that, but rather, we can tell what the other is feeling at any time.” He decided to omit any further details, as he could tell the connection had been growing stronger over time.

Liang glanced behind him at the red mage. “Is that true, Avior?”

Avior nodded. “It’s true.”

“So ya mean the whole time we were in town, Azemar knew what you were feelin? And ya knew what he was feelin’?” Both nodded. “Shee-oot, if I’d known that, I wouldn’t have been quite as paranoid ‘bout the others. Can y’all talk to each other in your minds?”

Spongebob hiked an eyebrow. Telepathy was more likely to be found in a science fiction game, though his inexplicable connection with the red mage already toed that line. “Um, no, we can’t do that,” he answered. “We just know what the other is feeling, that’s all.”

“Huh.” Liang grew thoughtful.

“Nevermind that, lassie,” Shipley spoke up. “What matters is if ye saw Garm.”

“We didn’t know what to look for,” Liang replied. “But far as we could tell, we ain’t seen ‘im.”

Shipley looked relieved, though it was short-lived. “Any idea if anyone be talkin’ about me?”

Avior shook his head. “No, but your communication with Garm ended some time ago, correct? Any discussion involving you would be considered old news.”

“Ye mean there weren’t any wanted posters for me, either?”

“We weren’t lookin’ for ‘em, so I can’t say.” Liang set her bag on the ground and opened it. “Let’s worry about that later, alright? Right now, we got some food, and Avior’s got some potions ‘n such for Azemar to put in the inventory. We can talk about our next course of action after we’ve eaten.”

Liang handed out the food from her bag to everyone; Spongebob noted a lack of mutton but didn’t complain. It was nice to take a break from the same food day after day, especially when they’d spent the past several days eating dried mutton strips. He settled onto the grass after he was given some food and noticed Avior sat beside him almost right away. He didn’t mind, of course; it was comforting to have the red mage next to him, though he realised the others were seated a little further away than normal, and none were as close as they.

Spongebob cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable. Naturally, Avior picked up on the emotion and looked at him. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

The sea sponge lowered his voice as he replied, “Are the others distancing themselves from us?”

Avior glanced at the other four party members before returning his attention to the knight. “I don’t believe so; why do you ask?”

Spongebob kept his gaze on the food in his lap. “Shipley was questioning your motives again,” he murmured.

“And why should you listen to him?”

“Because he accused you of manipulating me.” Spongebob paused, trying to hold back his tears. “He thinks you work for Zurnas and is trying to weaken me since I’m the party leader. I know part of it is his paranoia about betraying his master, but he’d pointed out you spend all your time around only me, and only open up to me.”

“Azemar, if I really did work for the black wizard, I would’ve killed you the moment I first saw you in the forest when you and Thorstein first arrived.”

His tears forgotten, Spongebob turned to look at the red mage. “A… Avior…”

“Shipley is short-sighted,” Avior continued. “He only thinks of himself; I’m honestly surprised he was so willing to surrender and join your party. Since his relations with Garm are poor, he’s worried he’ll be killed once he gets close enough to Springwick. As such, he thinks of anything and everything that can be used in his defence. If I’m a spy for the black wizard, I could report to Garm and have him killed for his betrayal. I’m his scapegoat, Azemar. He’s also the weakest link in our party; the one who could cause us to crumble from within.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just look at your relations with the others in your party: Thorstein is your best friend from your world, so there’s a strong bond. Liang has helped the two of you out so much and has grown close to you as a good friend. Jayde seems to really like you, though I’m not sure why. You and I share a connection, which automatically makes us close. But what about Shipley?”

Spongebob didn’t have an answer. If he was in Bikini Bottom, he knew Mr Krabs was his boss and over time, they’d developed a close relationship. However, within the game, Shipley was an entirely different crab. He’d nearly killed Liang and severely injured Patrick before turning his blade on Spongebob. The only thing that had saved them all was Jayde’s timely dragon-summoning. Shipley had cowered in fear of the dragon and surrendered.

Taking the fight into consideration, it sounded as though Shipley only surrendered and joined the party because he was afraid of the dragon Jayde had summoned. Since the snail couldn’t afford to use his MP regularly, Shipley was taking the opportunity to cause dissent between Avior and the rest of the party. Spongebob didn’t know what to do to change that.

At the same time, Shipley did have a point about Avior; no one other than Spongebob trusted him. The red mage had stayed hidden for over a week, only helping in the direst of circumstances. Even when Spongebob convinced him to stop hiding, Avior stuck only by his side… that is, until Liang insisted on accompanying him into Springwick for food and supplies. He remembered how the squirrel had given Avior a suspicious look when he’d suggested going into town with Spongebob. If Shipley’s accusation was correct, the red mage could have easily brought the sea sponge right to Garm, who would’ve either held him hostage or killed him… or both. No wonder Liang was unhappy at the suggestion.

Spongebob sighed, no longer feeling hungry. The entire matter was too complicated and confusing for him, and it was due to the conflicting opinions of his two newest party members. Both had very valid points, though he knew Avior wasn’t a spy under Zurnas. The emotions he could feel coming from the red mage certainly held no notes of evil or intentions to betray him. Unfortunately, he was the only one who could sense those feelings, and it was a poor bit of evidence to use in Avior’s favour. But how could he convince the others that Avior wasn’t a bad guy?

He felt a hand on his head, and he turned once more towards the red mage at his side. “Azemar, don’t wrack your mind like this,” he said softly. “The others will think what they want, no matter what you try to tell them. If they don’t want to trust me, that’s their problem; all that matters to me is that _you_ trust me.”

Spongebob felt a warmth rising in his chest at the mage’s words, though he didn’t know what emotion it was that caused the warmth. He could feel something similar coming from Avior, accompanied by the same confusion. “Avior…”

“Let’s not worry about it for now, alright? You need to eat to keep your strength up so you can work on raising your level; it’ll be another tough battle when we go up against Garm.”

“Yeah…” Spongebob picked up a fruit that looked like an apple. “I just wish everything wasn’t so complicated.”

Avior gave him a sad smile. “I think life itself is meant to be complicated.”

* * *

After everyone ate, they travelled west of Springwick to fight more monsters. It had grown tedious to Spongebob at this point, but he knew it was the only way to get stronger and properly face Garm or any other bosses they’d encounter. There was little conversation held during this time; Spongebob felt a stab of disappointment at the lack of working together with his companions, though Avior never left his side.

When they lost daylight, they made camp in a nearby wooded area; it wasn’t wise to stay at the hill they’d previously hidden behind. Spongebob knew this was because of the smoke that would be sent up from the fire they’d need to build, and any watchmen at Springwick’s gates would see the smoke. Thankfully, they’d had food left over from Liang and Avior’s earlier trip inside the town, so there were no issues with them having a meal before bed.

They took turns keeping guard whilst the others slept – aside from Patrick, of course – and once dawn broke, they were back at their level-grinding. Spongebob had asked for strategy ideas, since Garm was a ranged fighter and they weren’t prepared for such attacks, but the best anyone could come up with was Shipley’s suggestion of getting shields for everyone. It wasn’t a good idea, since Liang fought with no weapons, Spongebob’s sword was two-handed, Avior needed both hands free to cast spells and Jayde had no way to even hold a shield. All they could do was hope for an idea to come to one of them later.

By evening the next day, all party members aside from Jayde were at level thirty. They’d had to make a second trip into town – Liang went with Avior again – to get more food and supplies. Everyone was stressed out and exhausted, but they knew they were ready to face Garm. However, since they were losing daylight, Liang suggested they camp out for one more night before heading into town the following morning. The others agreed with her suggestion, and they bedded down into their sleeping bags. Naturally, Avior laid beside Spongebob.

As the sea sponge tried to get comfortable – Shipley had the first watch and sat on the opposite side of the fire from him – he heard a familiar voice.

“Azemar.”

He turned over and faced the red mage, who was lying on his side and gazing at him. “Yes, Avior?”

“Are you ready for tomorrow?”

“About as ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Do you trust Shipley?”

“Of course.” Spongebob was a little puzzled by the question.

“Do you still trust me?”

“Why would I _not_ trust you?”

Avior averted his gaze, looking downward. “I just find it hard to believe you can trust both of us when neither of us trust the other, and Liang, Thorstein and Jayde don’t trust us. But you do.”

Spongebob smiled. “I trust you because you’ve saved our lives many times over, remember? You’ve had plenty of chances to sneak away and report to Zurnas, if Shipley’s claim of you being a spy is true, but you stay by my side. There’ve been lots of times where you could have taken advantage of our weak points, or done something about Shipley no longer working for Zurnas, yet you haven’t. It makes it pretty hard for anyone to think you’re a spy.”

He reached out and placed his hand on Avior’s arm. “Besides, we share the connection, and I know how you’re feeling, just as you know how I’m feeling. Right now, I can tell you’re scared, but you’re also comforted by talking to me. Those are normal emotions anyone would feel in this situation.”

Avior moved closer to Spongebob, then held both his arms for a moment before pulling him close. It was a bit awkward, since they were lying down and partially covered with the sleeping bags, but Spongebob let the mage hold him in his arms as he wound his arms around him.

They stayed like that for several moments before Avior spoke up. “You’re scared, too,” he murmured.

“I think we all are,” Spongebob pointed out. “Why don’t we both get some sleep, so we’ll be rested and ready to fight Garm tomorrow.”

“Okay, but… can we stay like this, just for now?”

Spongebob decided not to tell Avior he wanted to stay in his arms much longer than “just for now”, though he was sure the red mage could feel his comfort and enjoyment. “Sure,” he replied, already closing his eyes.

* * *

The next morning, the group re-convened at the hill just outside of Springwick. Liang had asked if anyone had come up with a plan to fight the guards at the gate, as well as a plan to win against Garm.

“There’s really nothing we can do about the guards,” Avior pointed out. “You and I have seen them, Liang, and as long as we’re outside the town, they’re able to fight us if they so choose.”

“Maybe we should keep Thorstein near Shipley,” Spongebob suggested, “so he can be protected with the shield and give the rest of us time to react and fight back.”

“But how can we fight against ‘em?” Liang asked. “They’re up on the walls.”

“Then I will take care of it,” Avior replied. “I’m the only spellcaster in the group, and Azemar has some Ether in his inventory in case I run out of MP.”

The black belt didn’t look too happy at the suggestion of Avior teaming up with Spongebob again, but she nodded, knowing there was no better way. “Alright, y’all stick with Azemar, and Shipley, you’re with Thorstein. I’ll cover from the front, and Jayde will stay between the two pairs so he can be safe. Sound good?”

Everyone murmured their agreement. “What about Garm?” Shipley asked.

Liang grew thoughtful. “I guess it depends if we have to fight the guards.”

“Maybe we should wait until we get past the guards,” Spongebob suggested. “We can work out a second plan then.”

“Good idea, Azemar.” Liang smiled at him. “We should take this one step at a time. Now let’s go!”

The group moved around so Liang was in front, followed by Shipley and Patrick. Jayde was behind them, with Spongebob and Avior taking up the rear. They stayed in this formation as they walked around the hill and towards the gates of Springwick.

Spongebob tried to keep his mounting anxiety down by focusing on their task, as well as taking comfort that Avior was at his side. He’d quickly grown accustomed to having the red mage with him nearly all the time, though he was surprised Liang had agreed to let them stay together.

As they walked, Avior glanced at Spongebob. “Just keep calm,” he said softly. “We’re prepared to face the guards if they decide to attack us.”

The sea sponge nodded, knowing Avior had felt his worries. “Y- Yeah… I just hope everything will go smoothly.”

“I’m sure they will; after all, Liang and I have been in the town twice and had no troubles.”

“But Shipley wasn’t with you.”

“True, but I think Shipley’s just paranoid about the whole matter.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because we’re past the gates.”

Spongebob halted and gazed around. Indeed, all six of them were standing inside the town with the gates behind them. The guards Liang had mentioned were patrolling at the top of the walls; there was a ledge on the inside that allowed them to move about whilst they kept watch. None of them were watching Spongebob’s party.

Shipley also took notice of the guards. “Huh… Wonder why they didn’t attack.”

“Perhaps because you’re not a threat?”

The crustacean spun around to face Avior, who’d spoken. “Why do ye say such a thing?” Shipley demanded. “Ye’ve seen for yerself how well I can handle meself in a fight.”

Avior shrugged. “I’m just saying Garm doesn’t see you as a threat. Remember, he’d cut off communication with you some time ago, but didn’t try to send anyone to you even though you’d sent spies that he’d captured. That means he’s not worried about you doing anything to him, and for the moment, he doesn’t know you’ve stopped working for the black wizard.”

Shipley glared at him for a moment, then sighed. “Yer probably right,” he conceded.

“What do we do now?” Liang asked.

“I’m hungry,” Patrick stated.

“Meow,” Jayde added.

Spongebob smiled. “I think, since we got past the guards with no problem, we should find a tavern. Unless you or Avior found a better place to eat.”

“This town is a lot like Roserock,” Avior explained, “though a bit smaller. We’d found a famer’s market, where we’d bought the fruits and vegetables the other day.”

“Lemme show ya where it’s at,” Liang added, taking the lead.

The party travelled through a few roads before emerging into a clearing where several stands were erected. Many were occupied by fish selling various goods, primarily food. Some were even cooking food, which made Spongebob’s mouth water and his stomach growl. They hadn’t taken the time to eat breakfast, since it was more important to get past the guards. Now that his worries were settled, he felt his hunger gnawing at him.

Patrick took off for a food stand, and Liang and Shipley meandered off to other stands. Avior gazed down at the knight at his side. “Shall we find something to eat?” he offered.

“Sure.” Spongebob let the red mage lead him to a stall.

After they got some food and ate, the party gathered outside the inn – thankfully, Liang and Avior had previously located it – and went inside. Since they weren’t staying the night, they were able to go to one of the two rooms and sit at the table. A fifth chair was brought in from the second room.

As they sat, Liang spoke up. “Alright, there ain’t no sense in waitin’ around before fightin’ against Garm. Our levels are high enough, and it’s early enough in the day where we won’t have any problems seein’ ‘im. But before we go rushin’ into his castle, we needa come up with some kinda strategy. We didn’t really have one before goin’ up against Shipley and look where it got us.”

Shipley blinked in surprise. “Ye didn’t have a plan when ye fought me?”

“Not really,” Liang answered. “’Course, we didn’t expect Jayde to join us, and Azemar…” She trailed off.

“You look like someone I know from my homeland,” Spongebob finished for her. “In fact, you could say he was my mentor. I was caught off-guard by it, which is why I had trouble with the battle in the first place.”

Shipley regarded him for a moment. “Yer mentor, ye say… I bet he ain’t as handsome as me, and definitely not as smart.”

Spongebob refrained from answering, since he knew Shipley looked exactly like Mr Krabs, and even sounded the same and was just as greedy. In fact, his paranoia was identical to his boss’, if things got to such an extreme. The only thing that seemed different was his name.

“Anyway,” Liang interjected, once she realised Spongebob wasn’t replying, “we need a strategy against Garm. What do ya know about ‘im, Shipley?”

“He’s a ranger,” the crustacean replied, “and when I last spoke with him, he was mighty fierce with his bow ‘n arrow. Even showed me how well he be on the archery range; methinks he’s only grown stronger over time. He be quick on the draw, too, so don’t count on gettin’ a chance when he needs to reload his bow.”

“Reload…” Spongebob muttered this word to himself as he thought. He moved his arms in a pantomime of loading an arrow to a bow, then aimed it. The others watched him, not daring to speak. Spongebob kept his hands in the position of holding a loaded bow, still thinking. After a moment, he lowered his arms. “You’re sure he just has a bow, not a crossbow?”

Shipley nodded. “Aye, lad. Garm prides himself on his speed, showin’ off how fast he can notch an arrow from quiver to bow. He can do it ‘bout twice as fast as a typical archer.”

Spongebob thought this over. “He’ll probably have guards who’ll also join the fight,” he remarked.

“Aye, he usually keeps some o’ his army with ‘im.”

“Hmm… To get to Garm quickly, we’ll have to take his guards out first.” Spongebob knew this was an old strategy for boss fights in an RPG, though it was an effective one. “We may get hit by Garm, but we’ll have lots of potions and ethers to take care of healing our HP and MP.”

“I can also cast Slow to buy some time,” Avior added, “and Cure to help the potions last longer.”

“Maybe you could cast Slow as soon as we’re alone against Garm?” Spongebob suggested. “He’ll have to take longer to load his bow that way. We need someone fast to get in close to him quickly, hit him hard, then get away before he can hurt that person.”

“Who’s the fastest amongst us?” Shipley asked.

“Either me or Liang,” Spongebob replied.

“Ya got the higher attack power, thanks to your sword,” Liang pointed out. “I could get in ‘n out fast, but if we wanna hit ‘im hard, we need power _and_ speed.”

Spongebob nodded, knowing she was right. Before he could speak, however, he felt a mounting fear from beside him, and he turned to look at Avior, who was giving him a worried look. Spongebob smiled and placed his hand on top of the mage’s. “We’ve got to do it this way, Avior,” he said, keeping his voice calm. “We have to work together and do what we’re best at in order to win the fight.”

“I know,” Avior softly replied, “but it doesn’t mean I can’t worry about you, Azemar.”

“Then it’s settled,” Liang said. “We take out the guards first, then Avior casts Slow on Garm. Azemar gets in close, delivers a strong attack, then gets out. The rest of us do what we can from further away. We keep doin’ this till Garm is defeated. Sound good?”

“Meow,” Jayde spoke up.

“Make sure someone covers Jayde,” Spongebob added. “He’ll be our trump card again; if the fight goes on too long and we run out of potions, he can summon another creature to help.”

Shipley visibly shuddered. “I ain’t coverin’ for that mollusc,” he grumbled.

“Thorstein, you cover for him,” Spongebob instructed.

Patrick nodded and gave a thumbs-up. “Gotcha.”

“Okay, we’ve got our strategy in place.” Spongebob pushed back his chair and stood. “Let’s head to Garm’s castle and take him on; the sooner we defeat him, the better.”

The others also stood. “I think I saw his castle the last time I was here,” Liang said, “so lemme show ya where it’s at.” She led the others out the door.

Spongebob took a step forward to follow when someone grabbed his arm, stopping him. He turned and saw Avior gazing down at him, concern still written in his features. “Avior…”

The red mage pulled Spongebob close, then wrapped his arms around him. “Please be careful, Azemar,” he murmured. “I can’t imagine what I’d do if anything happened to you.”

Spongebob wound his arms around Avior, relishing the sensation of the mage’s closeness and warmth. He also felt the same emotion from before he couldn’t name, but he didn’t try to figure out what it was; he was happy enough to take comfort in Avior’s arms.

“I’ll be fine, Avior,” he replied. “Remember, everyone’s levels are two above Garm’s. Besides, I’ll have the rest of the party covering me, including you. As long as my friends are there to help me, I’m not worried about losing the fight.”

Avior reluctantly let go. “Alright, but I’m still going to worry about you until the battle is over.”

Spongebob smiled again. “I think we’re all going to be worried until the battle is over.”

Avior let out a small laugh. “You’ve got a point there.”


	10. Chapter 10

Spongebob gazed at the closed door before him. He and the rest of the party had no issues gaining entrance to the castle, nor did they run into any problems with guards. Surprisingly, the castle seemed to be empty. It was entirely possible Garm was confident no one would challenge him and did not find it necessary to post guards throughout the building.

After a bit of wandering, they managed to find a door that likely led to Garm and his guards. Spongebob slowly reached a hand up towards the door, his apprehension rising. It was starting to make him feel sick.

A gloved hand reached out and touched the raised arm. Spongebob glanced to his right and saw Avior giving him a reassuring smile. Of course, the red mage had felt Spongebob’s apprehension and was trying to help.

“Azemar.”

It was the only word Avior said, but Spongebob could sense the unspoken words and meaning behind it. He also felt the emotions coming from the red mage and took comfort in them. He knew everything would be okay.

Spongebob pushed the door open, revealing a large, spacious room. Unlike Shipley’s castle, this room was devoid of gold; instead, only a few white columns were placed around the room for support. Large windows lined the perimeter, allowing the sun to provide natural light. A burgundy carpet on the floor ran from the door to the dais at the end of the room. Lined up on either side of the carpet were guards; each fish was armed with a bow and a quiver of arrows. Spongebob counted eight guards total.

On top of the dais rested a huge ivory chair, upon which a large man was seated. He wore a dark grey tunic and pine green breeches, and a bow and quiver rested beside the chair. Spongebob’s eyes widened as, again, he recognised the person who was the second boss of the game.

“…Larry?!”

The lobster hiked an eyebrow at the group. “Who has come to my castle?” he demanded. “And what’s this nonsense about a ‘Larry’?”

Spongebob was relieved the second boss wasn’t someone as close to him as Mr Krabs, but at the same time, he was also guilty he wasn’t as concerned about Larry being trapped in the game as well. The boss fight should go easier this time, he mused, but all the same, he couldn’t make himself take away all of Larry’s HP.

“We’re here to defeat ya, Garm,” Liang declared, unaware of Spongebob’s turmoil once again.

“Wait, wait.” Garm held up a claw and regarded the group. “Is that Shipley I see with you?”

“Aye, it be.” Shipley took a step forward.

“Dude, I thought you worked for Lord Zurnas. Why are you with these people?”

“I ain’t workin’ for Lord Zurnas anymore,” Shipley replied. “And why did ye kill off me messengers and spies?”

“Wh… What?” Garm scratched his head in confusion.

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Shipley spat. “We’d had good communications goin’ fer a while, then me messengers stopped comin’ back. When I sent spies to find out what was goin’ on, ye captured and killed several of them, too. Why?”

Garm blinked. “I didn’t do anything like that, bro,” he answered. “I appreciated the help you’d given me when I first came here to Springwick. I wondered why you’d stopped sending messengers, but figured it was because you thought I was fine on my own.”

Shipley frowned. “That be a likely story.”

“I’m telling you the truth.” Garm shrugged. “You know you could’ve come here whenever you wanted to get answers.”

“Oh, right, and get killed off like me messengers and spies?” Shipley forced a laugh before turning his attention to Spongebob. “C’mon boyo, let’s get this fight over with.”

“Fight?” Garm stood. “Why do you want to fight me?”

“We’re here to defeat Zurnas,” Spongebob replied. “We’re taking down all his underlings along the way.”

“Why do you want to defeat Lord Zurnas, little dude?”

“Because his evil reign of tyranny needs to come to an end.”

“What makes you think he’s a tyrant?”

Spongebob opened his mouth to reply, then closed it. He’d never thought of it in such a manner; it was only a safe assumption the black wizard who ruled the land was a tyrant. However, he recalled Liang’s words about the people becoming complacent with the ruler, and aside from monsters attacking them between towns, there was nothing but peace. The only sign of turbulence he’d found was Shipley’s spies around Roserock, but they were primarily interested in money and getting rid of threats to the town’s ruler.

“What about Shipley’s messengers and spies?”

The sea sponge looked up at Avior, who stood beside him. “Avior…”

“What about them?” Garm asked.

“You claim to not know what happened to them, yet Shipley has said they were killed. Doesn’t that seem suspicious? And what about the other rulers the black wizard has sent to other towns? Do you think they’re all peacefully running their towns? What did the black wizard do to even _get_ control of the land?”

Garm nodded thoughtfully. “I had wondered about all of that, but I haven’t been ruler of Springwick for long. Lord Zurnas caught wind of my skills as a ranger only a few years ago, so I didn’t know how he got control of the land. The only other ruler I know is Shipley since our towns are close.”

“So you just assumed the black wizard only recruited you for your ranger skills?” Avior shot back. “You never thought to question his motives or why you were selected? You didn’t even ask what happened to Springwick’s previous ruler?”

Garm shrugged. “I guess not, mage dude. Why would I want to question it, anyway?”

“Because you’re a brainless meat-head,” Avior grumbled.

Spongebob stifled a giggle, as the red mage’s words at that moment reminded him so much of Squidward. Liang heard the muffled laughter and started chuckling. Patrick, also standing nearby, began laughing. Shipley had tried to stay quiet out of politeness, but soon joined in the laughter. Naturally, Spongebob couldn’t keep quiet once everyone else was laughing, so he lowered his hands and laughed with the rest of the party. Even Avior couldn’t help but give a small laugh.

Garm frowned, his anger rising at the laughter. He knew they were all laughing at him although he’d done nothing wrong to any of them. The lobster grabbed the bow next to his chair, along with an arrow, and had it notched in a flash.

“Alright, that’s enough!” he shouted, causing the group to fall silent. He kept the arrow trained on Spongebob, who’d already grabbed the hilt of his sword. “I’m done playing nice with you guys. If you want to get to Lord Zurnas, you’ll have to go through me.”

Spongebob unsheathed his sword. The laughter had helped clear his mind of his earlier apprehension. “That’s exactly what we’re planning to do, Garm.”

“Guards!”

At Garm’s command, the eight rangers who’d lined the burgundy carpet immediately loaded their bows and fired on the group. Thankfully, Avior quickly cast Protect, shielding the party from the first onslaught of arrows.

“Scatter!” Spongebob’s order sent the group of six moving in different directions, making it harder for the guards to fire multiple arrows on one target.

The guards turned in various directions, trying to shoot their arrows at whatever moved. Patrick was able to use his shield to protect himself, Shipley dodged and used his knife to deflect some shots, Jayde retreated into his shell and Avior cast Fire spells to disintegrate the arrows before they could reach him. Spongebob used his sword to deflect the arrows as well and was soon joined by Avior.

“Don’t use so much MP,” Spongebob instructed whilst deflecting an arrow. “You’ll go through all the Ethers before we even get to Garm.”

“Right.” Avior drew his short sword. “I’m not so good with this, though.”

“Then stand behind me.” Spongebob turned his sword as an arrow bounced off the blade. He sucked in his breath a moment later as he felt an arrow pierce his side.

“Azemar!” Avior’s voice came from behind him.

“That probably came from Garm.” Spongebob grunted as he deflected another arrow but felt the pain from the one already in him.

“I’ll try to cover for—” The mage’s voice was cut off as he gasped in pain.

Spongebob turned to see an arrow embedded in Avior’s left arm. “Barnacles,” he muttered. “How’re we—” He was also cut off as one of the guards got in a shot to his leg, and he fell.

Avior gritted his teeth as he yanked the arrow out of his arm. Blood ran down his arm, the colour only a bit darker than the crimson sleeve it began to stain. He raised his right arm and shouted, “Protect!”

A translucent dome covered him and Spongebob; the arrows coming at them bounced harmlessly off its surface. The sea sponge took a moment to assess the damage: an arrow protruded from his right leg, and a second arrow was in his left side. A glance at Avior showed the lack of an arrow, but the blood on his arm was a sign he likely wouldn’t be able to use the arm until he was healed.

He tried to look through the shield at the rest of his party. From what little he could see, none of them were faring well. They’d had no way to train against rangers, and with nine of them firing upon them all at once, it was nearly impossible to do anything other than defend. There was little else they could do, and Spongebob could feel his hope of winning the fight ebbing away.

He felt a hand on his armoured shoulder, and he looked up to see the red mage standing beside him. “Azemar, it’s not as bad as it looks.” Avior pointed to the stats above the knight’s head. “These arrows hurt, but they’re not lowering our HP much. Look, you’ve been hit twice but your HP only went down by forty.”

Spongebob looked at the stats hovering above Avior’s head to verify:

 _Avior_  
HP: 280/300 MP: 15/35  
LV 30

“You’re right, Avior, but what about the others?”

“We need to get to them quickly to heal them. This shield won’t last much longer.” Avior tucked his sword under his belt. “If you could give me an Ether, I can cover for you to get to the others, where I can cast Protect again.”

Spongebob noticed the dome was already starting to fade. In moments, he knew they’d be vulnerable to attack again. He pulled the arrow from his leg and climbed to his feet. It was painful, but he knew he had to act fast. He jabbed his finger forward, bringing up the inventory. At the same instant the shield vanished, he handed an Ether to Avior. “We need to move now!” he said as he closed the inventory and started running.

The red mage was right behind him. An instant later, he tossed the empty bottle on the floor and held up his right hand again. “Fire!”

Spongebob sheathed his sword as he ran towards his friends. Patrick was still behind his shield, though Liang was crouched with him. Several arrows protruded from various places on her body, and she gasped in pain.

“Liang, I’m here.” Spongebob opened his inventory again and extracted a potion.

“Protect!” Avior yelled, encasing the group in another translucent dome.

As the black belt drank the potion, Spongebob spoke quickly. “The arrows don’t cause a lot of damage, they just hurt. Pull them out when you get the chance and keep fighting.” He paused, glancing at Patrick. “We haven’t defeated any of the guards yet, and there are eight of them. We need to focus on taking them out, remember?”

Liang nodded as she began pulling out the arrows. “It’s harder for me since I ain’t gotta weapon, but I’ll stick with Thorstein for cover whilst we go after ‘em. Make sure ya check on Shipley and Jayde.”

“That’s where we’re going next.” He glanced at Avior. “Ready?”

The red mage nodded. “This shield will stay up for a few more seconds, but we can still go.”

“Good.” Spongebob took off again, out of the shield and towards a column. Avior was behind him, using Fire to get rid of the arrows raining upon them.

Spongebob reached Jayde and Shipley quickly and explained the situation. Shipley was raring to go by the time the sea sponge had finished his explanation. “Lemme at ‘em!” Shipley cried as he ran outside the shield.

Spongebob turned his attention to the snail by his feet. “Jayde, you stay here until I call for you. Hiding in your shell helps to keep your HP up as well, so keep doing that for now.”

“Meow.” Jayde did as he was told, and the shield started to fade.

“We’d better get going, too,” Avior said, watching the dome gradually turn transparent.

“Yeah, I’m ready to get back into the fight.” Spongebob closed the inventory and drew his sword. “You might want to use your sword as well, Avior.”

The red mage nodded, pulling out his weapon. “I ought to train more with this,” he remarked as the last bits of the protection spell vanished.

“We’ll take care of that later.” Spongebob crouched, noting the arrows had already diminished in number. “We’ve got a boss fight to settle first.”

He ran forward, dodging arrows as he approached the nearest guard. The fish jumped in surprise when he realised how quickly Spongebob got close, which was the opening the knight needed.

“Yaaah!” Spongebob swung his sword, slicing through the guard. The fish didn’t have a chance to scream before he disappeared.

“Nice one, Azemar!” Avior’s voice came from behind him.

“Thanks, but it’s not over yet.” Spongebob surveyed the fight: Liang and Patrick had managed to defeat two guards and Shipley was finishing off one. That left four guards and Garm, and all of them were showing no signs of slowing their attack. “Keep going!” Spongebob shouted as he advanced on another guard.

This time, when he raised his sword to attack, he felt both the pain in his side from the first arrow that had struck him – he’d yet to remove that one – as well as a new arrow that pierced his right arm. He dropped his sword, surprised at the additional pain. This was far worse than the stings of the previous arrows; a glance at his arm revealed not only was the wound bleeding, the area surrounding the arrow was a dark purple colour.

He didn’t have time to think about this new arrow when the guard right in front of him fired a volley of arrows at his head, each one hitting their mark. Spongebob crumpled to the floor beside his sword. He could tell the searing pain from his right arm was quickly spreading throughout his body, and dimly realised he’d been shot with an arrow that inflicted a Poison status.

“Azemar!”

He heard Avior yelling his name, but the numbness and pain made it hard for him to do anything other than stare at the sword beside him. He gazed at the hilt, which was closest to him, and spotted the three gems embedded in it. He tried to recall what Shipley had told him about the gems, but pain clouded his memory. He was also sure the others were still fighting, though his incapacitation drove up the difficulty level, as he was the only one with access to the potions and other helpful items in the inventory.

He blinked slowly, thinking he was beginning to see things. The red gem on the hilt looked like it was glowing, but that couldn’t be right; why was it the only one? How was it glowing without anyone touching it or focusing their energy on it?

He let his breath out in a small sigh at the same instant he felt himself lifted from the ground. Perhaps the Poison status had finally drained all his HP? Was this what it felt like when someone died in the game? He closed his eyes. Death sure did hurt…

“Azemar, open your eyes!”

He struggled to do as he was told, still feeling the pain. The numbness was surprisingly gone. The room came back into focus, as did the rest of his senses. He was still in Garm’s castle, and arrows flew about, though much fewer than before. He realised someone was holding him in their arms; a few blinks to clear his vision revealed the person was Avior, who was gazing at him with concern. He could also feel the worry coming from the red mage in waves, along with some other emotion he couldn’t name.

“Avior…” Spongebob murmured.

“Good, you’re awake.” Avior kept his voice brisk as he started pulling out the arrows protruding from the knight’s body. “I know it hurts, but we need to move fast; Thorstein and Shipley can cover us for only so long.”

Spongebob looked about him again, realising he and Avior were behind a column. That explained why they weren’t getting hit with the arrows. On either side of the column, he spotted Patrick and Shipley; the former was primarily using his shield to protect the group whilst the latter used his knife to deflect the arrows.

“Wh… Where’s Liang?” Spongebob asked.

“She’s distracting Garm,” Avior explained as he yanked out another arrow. “You’re lucky I kept an Antidote with me, otherwise we’d really be in trouble.”

Spongebob’s gaze drifted upwards towards Avior’s stats. “Your MP…”

“It can wait.” The red mage frowned as he tried to pull out another arrow; this one seemed to be deeper than the others. “We need you well enough to get to the inventory and heal us all; we’ve got a long way to go to end this fight.”

“But…”

“Hush. Let me finish this.” Avior worked as quickly as possible, removing the last of the arrows from Spongebob. He tossed the final one to the floor and helped the knight into a sitting position. “Time’s of the essence here, so you need to get the potions out now.”

“Y- Yeah.” His mind much clearer after the removal of the arrows, Spongebob opened his inventory and removed several potions, handing them out to everyone. He made sure to drink a couple for himself before moving on to the next item: Ether. He took two from the inventory and handed them to Avior. “Where’s my sword?” He asked as he handed off the bottles.

“Right there.” Avior pointed to the floor by his side as he accepted the items.

Spongebob turned to see the blade lying flat, just as before. He reached for it but stopped: the red gem was still giving off a soft glow. “Wh…”

“What is it?” Avior asked as he set the empty bottles on the floor.

“Th- The red gem…” Spongebob pointed.

Avior raised an eyebrow. “Hm, I hadn’t noticed it before when I grabbed it; I was focusing on getting you away from the battle.”

“What could it mean?”

“Unless it affects your ability to use it, I wouldn’t worry about it.” Avior rose from his kneeling position. “We really need to get to Liang and figure out a quick way to end the battle.”

“Y- Yeah…” Spongebob hesitantly reached for the hilt. As he wrapped his fingers around the sword, he felt a surge of warmth spreading throughout his body; the stinging pain from the arrows were quickly forgotten. His eyes widened as an image appeared in his mind: A red mage yelled as he fell, and the gem on the sword began to glow.

He blinked, once, and found himself gazing up at Avior, who was watching him with concern. He gasped. “That’s it…!”

“What’s it?”

“The gemstone.” Spongebob held up the sword and pointed at the glowing stone. “I… I think it represents _you_ , Avior.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, though I’m not sure why.”

“It doesn’t matter right now, Azemar.” The red mage bent to help him stand. “Remember, we need to find Liang.”

“Oh, r- right.” Spongebob tried to push his thoughts regarding the stones out of his mind and gazed around Patrick, whose shield was almost entirely covered with arrows.

“How ya doin’, buddy?” Patrick asked as his best friend scanned the room.

“Better now, thanks. Where’s Liang?”

“Over there.” Patrick pointed to a column on the opposite side of the room.

Leaning against the column, away from Garm, was Liang. She looked exhausted, and several arrows protruded from her body. Spongebob cringed in sympathy, remembering when he was in a similar position just minutes ago. The four remaining guards were lined up in front of Garm; three of them were firing at Patrick and Shipley whilst the fourth was trying to get to Liang.

Spongebob knew what he had to do. He took off for Liang, using his sword to deflect any arrows shot in his direction. Thanks to the strange warmth from earlier, it felt as though he moved faster and reached the black belt in no time. Before Liang could say anything, Spongebob jabbed his finger forward, bringing up the inventory. He removed three potions and handed them to Liang, who gratefully accepted them.

“Let me get the arrows,” Spongebob said as he sheathed his sword and worked as fast as he could.

“Thanks, Azemar,” Liang said before she drank the first potion.

“I should thank you as well.” The sea sponge paused to glance over the arrows. “By the way, were any of the arrows status-changing?”

Liang shook her head. “I think ya got the only one so far.”

Spongebob nodded thoughtfully as he resumed pulling out the arrows. “I think Garm shot that one; he must have a small number of those kinds of arrows.”

“What’re we gonna do when we face ‘im?”

“I have a few Antidotes in the inventory, but we’ll have to be careful not to get hit too many times. I lucked out with Avior having one on hand, but it was probably his only one. We’re also running out of potions; we need to wrap this up quickly.”

“Got it.” Liang finished off the third potion and tossed the bottle on the floor. “What’s the plan?”

“Defeat the remaining guards, then try to fight Garm as much as we can. If it looks like we’re losing, we use our trump card.”

Liang nodded, knowing what Spongebob meant. “Alright, Azemar, I’m good to go.”

“I got the last of the arrows, so I’ll be right behind you.”

The black belt leapt from the column and towards the nearest guard; Spongebob unsheathed his sword again and ran to help. As soon as the guard was knocked to the ground, Spongebob slashed through him, watching him disappear. At the same time, Shipley defeated the second guard with his knife and Patrick let the blade of his axe fall on the third guard.

The remaining guard notched his bow and pointed it at the group.

“Fire!”

The guard yelled as he was hit with a fireball; he disappeared before he hit the ground.

Spongebob realised the arrows had stopped. The sole enemy remaining in the room was Garm, who picked up an arrow with a thicker shaft than the others. He notched it to his bow and aimed at Avior. “This is for destroying my best men!”

Spongebob immediately leaped forward, his sword whistling through the air as he swung as hard as possible. The instant the arrow left the bow, the silver blade sliced it in half; both pieces clattered to the floor. Spongebob’s boots hit the floor a second later and he tucked himself into a ball to roll away from Garm.

As soon as he straightened up, he felt a sharp pain in his back, and the world went dark. He frantically looked around, but only saw blackness. He could hear some noises behind him and realised he must have been hit with an arrow that caused Blind. Since Garm was the only ranger left, he knew his earlier hypothesis was true. Unfortunately, it also meant he would be unable to help, and he visibly sagged at the realisation.

He heard footsteps approaching from behind, and a familiar hand rested on his arm. “Azemar, can you hear me?”

“I can hear you just fine, Avior, but I can’t see anything.”

A sigh. “I had a feeling since your status is now Blind. Keep still; I’m going to remove the arrow.”

Spongebob felt the hand removed from his arm, and a stinging pain as two hands grabbed the arrow in his back. A moment later, the pain increased as the arrow came free, then quickly lessened.

The hand came back to his arm. “There. I know it won’t cure your status, but at least it shouldn’t hurt as much.”

“Thanks, Avior. What’s going on with the fight?”

A pause. “The others are trying to fight Garm, but it’s not easy when it’s only half the party. You’re the strongest fighter, and Garm pulled a smart move by using that Blind arrow.”

“Yeah… did you cast Slow on Garm?”

“I did, but it’s not helping much. What should we do?”

Spongebob smiled grimly. “We use our trump card.” He turned in the direction he’d hoped was the correct way and shouted, “Jayde, now!”

For several long agonising moments, he heard nothing besides the fight behind him. At last, he heard a shifting sound, followed by a loud roar. The fighting noises stopped, and several sets of footsteps shuffled away.

“Did he summon a dragon again?” Spongebob asked.

“Yes, though this one is bigger than the last one. It also looks meaner and hungrier.”

The dragon’s second roar seemed to shake the entire room; Spongebob had to grab hold of Avior’s arm for support. “What’s going on now?” he asked once the last echoes of the roar had faded.

“The dragon’s moving towards Garm,” the red mage reported. “Garm looks scared, and he’s dropped his bow. The dragon’s mouth is open, and…”

Avior fell silent as a loud, sickening _crunch_ was heard. Spongebob desperately wanted to know what happened but was afraid to ask. “Oh… my.” Avior’s tone was both shocked and disgusted. “Er… the fight’s over, Azemar. The dragon is gone, too.”

Spongebob nodded. “I had a feeling.” Inwardly, he tried not to panic; if Garm really was Larry, he could have just been killed, and Spongebob was responsible. He hoped, as much hope as he could muster, that Garm was a ranger who just happened to look and sound like Larry the Lobster. The only way he could find out was to leave the game, which he knew wouldn’t happen for a long while yet.

“Don’t let it get to you,” Avior assured him; Spongebob assumed the mage had felt his emotions once again. “Garm needed to be defeated, and this fight earned us a lot of experience points.”

Spongebob nodded again, not feeling any better. “Let’s just find the inn and heal.”

Avior kept hold of Spongebob’s arm and guided him out of the castle. The footsteps behind them indicated his companions were following, though nobody spoke.


	11. Chapter 11

Spongebob opened his eyes, the room coming into focus. It took him a moment to realise someone was touching him; he looked to his left and saw Avior lying beside him, his gloved hand on the knight’s arm.

He smiled, though it was short-lived. He’d been blinded at the end of the battle against Garm, but he still clearly remembered the sounds and Avior’s ongoing explanation. They’d returned to the inn immediately after the fight, taking the remainder of the day to rest up and heal. Spongebob knew his HP was once again full and the Blind status had lifted, but the memory of the fight still rang in his ears and played in his mind.

Avior, whose eyes were closed, opened them and gazed at Spongebob, his maroon eyes full of intensity. “Azemar,” he said softly.

He didn’t know why, but hearing the mage speaking his name set him off; tears spilt from his eyes and he sobbed. Avior wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close, letting the knight cry. He had a feeling Spongebob was badly shaken up from the fight against Garm, though he didn’t know why – although he’d witnessed the dragon’s actions, it hadn’t bothered him that much – and didn’t understand the extent to which it bothered him. His questions floated about his mind, but he kept quiet, holding the sea sponge and sending feelings of comfort to him.

After a few minutes, Spongebob’s crying lessened and he looked up at Avior. “S- Sorry about that,” he apologised.

“Don’t worry about it,” Avior replied. “I’m just wondering why you’re so upset. Is it because of the battle against Garm?”

“Yeah… Remember when I told you all the party members look exactly like people I know in my world?”

“Yes.”

“Garm was another one like that. I… I don’t know what to do if all Zurnas’ underlings look like people I know from my world.”

“You fight them, Azemar.”

“Huh?”

“Remember, they’re _not_ the people you know; they just happen to look like them. Even for me, I look like your neighbour, but I’m not him. I’m Avior, the red mage, and I…” He trailed off.

Spongebob gave him a bewildered look at that. Knowing he wouldn’t hear the end of the sentence, he thought on Avior’s previous one. He’d not mentioned to the mage about his being trapped in the video game, and as such, he didn’t know if anyone else was trapped in it as well. He had no idea if anyone else he knew bought the game, though it was a safe assumption Squidward wouldn’t have bothered.

All the same, it was entirely possible for the Bikini Bottomites to all get sucked into Spongebob’s game, since his and Patrick’s presence in the game was already unexplained. It couldn’t be that much more of a stretch to believe everyone in Bikini Bottom was transported into the one game. But how could he explain such a concept to Avior when he hardly understood it himself?

Spongebob sighed, resting his head against Avior’s chest. He knew the red mage could feel his inner turmoil, though thankfully it was only his emotions that were felt, not anything more specific. In turn, he felt Avior’s emotions: there was a sense of wanting to console the knight, but uncertainty of how to go about doing so, and confusion regarding another emotion neither could figure out.

“I’m sorry, Avior,” Spongebob murmured.

“For what?”

“Everything. I… I never wanted this, being transported to another world. I don’t want to have to keep fighting enemies who look like people I know, and not know how to get out of here. Defeating Zurnas is the only option I can think of, and I don’t even know what he looks like. What if he’s someone who means a lot to me in my world? How can I sacrifice others to leave this world?”

“So what if they look like people you know?” Avior countered. “Just because they _look_ like someone from your world, it doesn’t mean they _are_ that person. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, Azemar.”

“But what if they _are_ that person? What if… What if when Thorstein and I were transported to this world, everyone else was, too?”

“How can you tell?”

“I don’t know,” Spongebob admitted, “but maybe they just don’t remember being in my world.”

Avior froze. “You mean… I really might be this Squidward person you told me about?”

“Maybe, I can’t say for sure.”

“Then why do I only remember my life as a mage? I can remember where I was born, who my parents are… I even remember when I decided to become a red mage. I really don’t know anything about anyone named Squidward, aside from what you’ve told me.”

Spongebob shrugged. “Like I said, I don’t know. I don’t know how I got here, I don’t know who came with me aside from Thorstein, I don’t know how to get out.” He gently prised himself from Avior’s arms and climbed off the bed. “I wish I had answers, but I’m completely in the dark here… I’m sorry.”

Avior sat up. “Azemar…”

Spongebob shook his head. “Sorry, I… I need to be alone right now.” He walked out the door to the room, leaving his sword and helmet on the floor beside the bed.

Avior watched him leave, feeling the knight’s sorrow and confusion, along with the desperation to return to a familiar setting. He also felt his own emotions, most of which were caused by the sea sponge. Tears filled his eyes as an ache settled in his heart; he’d tried so hard to be there for him, but he knew he couldn’t fulfil the one thing the knight wanted more than anything in the world.

* * *

Spongebob walked in a daze down the road, hardly knowing where his feet were taking him. He didn’t see any of the other party members, which was fine; he didn’t feel like facing them now. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to see Patrick. All he could see was the dark streets before him and heard the sounds of the end of the fight against Garm. In a way, he was glad he’d been blinded so he was spared the gruesome sight, but at the same time, the guilt of his command to Jayde weighed heavily on his shoulders. He hadn’t specified to the snail that he didn’t want Garm to die, and he now paid a heavy price for that neglect.

He stumbled, nearly falling. He stopped long enough to steady himself, then resumed his walk. Surprisingly, no tears came, though he wanted to cry. The town itself was surprisingly quiet; it was almost as though it was silently mourning the loss of its leader.

After a few minutes, Spongebob ran into someone, the impact knocking him backwards. He looked up and saw his best friend giving him a confused look. “Spongebob, what’s wrong?”

The sea sponge swallowed back his guilt. “Patrick, you saw what happened to Garm, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Doesn’t it bother you?”

“A little,” the starfish admitted, “but this is just a game, right? That wasn’t really Larry.”

“But what if it was? We don’t even know how we got here, and we don’t know if anyone else got trapped in the game as well.”

Patrick tried to think this over. “Well, if anyone else got trapped, wouldn’t we know it? Or wouldn’t they?”

“I don’t know,” Spongebob replied. “Everyone in Bikini Bottom could be trapped in here with us, but they don’t know it.”

“Then why do we know it?”

“…I don’t know,” Spongebob repeated.

“If you don’t know, then why are you letting it bother you? Besides, I don’t think Larry would want to fight with a bow and arrows; you know he’s real strong and works out all the time.”

“Yeah… and I don’t think Larry would want to actually fight in the first place. He’d rather spend his time at the gym.”

“Exactly.” Patrick smiled at him. “So the guy we just defeated, that wasn’t Larry. I think we’re the only ones who got stuck in the game, so don’t let it bother you, okay, Spongebob?”

The sea sponge nodded. “You’re right, and thank you, Patrick.” He wrapped his arms around the starfish in a hug; Patrick returned the embrace.

“So what’re we gonna do now?” Patrick asked.

“The only thing we can do,” Spongebob replied. “We go to the next town and defeat the boss there. We keep defeating all the bosses until we get to Zurnas, then we take him down and then we can go home.”

“Sounds good to me, buddy.”

“Oh…” Spongebob’s good mood faded. “I should go back to the inn and apologise to Avior; I was pretty rude to him earlier.”

“I’ll be there in a while,” Patrick said. “I’m trying to find some food before going to bed.”

“I think it’s two blocks that way.” Spongebob pointed east.

“Hey, thanks, Spongebob.” Patrick turned and headed in the direction his best friend had pointed out.

Spongebob headed back towards the inn, feeling a bit better than before. Patrick was probably right; it made no sense for them to be the only two who had their memories of Bikini Bottom whilst no one else did. It was far more likely those who looked like Bikini Bottomites were just characters in the game, nothing more.

He pushed open the door to the inn. However, before he stepped inside, he heard a soft noise nearby – someone was singing. He took a moment to concentrate, feeling Avior’s emotions coming from somewhere nearby. It was likely he was the one singing, but where was he?

Spongebob looked around, trying to locate the singing. Finally, he moved a few steps away from the inn and looked up. There, seated on top of the sloped roof, was Avior. The moonlight cast its white light on the mage, making it almost look like a spotlight.

“Avior?”

The red mage stopped singing and looked down. Spongebob could feel his unhappiness, probably because of Spongebob’s earlier behaviour. He tried to hold back his guilt.

“Oh, Azemar.”

“What’re you doing up there?”

“Same thing as you: spending some time alone.”

“…Oh.” Spongebob knew Avior could feel his guilt at this point. “Why don’t you come down? I wanted to tell you something.”

“Why don’t _you_ come up here?”

The sea sponge sighed. He was probably already on Avior’s bad side, so it would be better if he did as the red mage asked. He glanced around, trying to find a way up.

“There’s a ladder over there.” Avior pointed to the side of the building.

Spongebob found the ladder and climbed up, grateful he didn’t have to do any crazy climbing. Although he was fully healed from the battle, he wasn’t in the mood to do anything too strange or extreme, especially in his armour. Once he reached the top, he swung his leg over the edge of the roof and climbed on. He carefully stood before slowly making his way towards Avior, who silently watched him.

“There.” Spongebob sat beside the red mage.

“You said you wanted to tell me something?”

“Yeah.” He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for what I said earlier, Avior. I was being selfish and didn’t take you or any of the others into consideration. I just got so caught up in wondering if anyone else from my world was sent here as well, and if I was responsible for Garm’s death, I…” He shook his head. “But I realise now that Thorstein and I were the only ones sent here. There’s no explanation why everyone else would be here without their memories, but the two of us have them. It’s just a big coincidence that everyone here looks like people we know from our world… and the person from my world who looks like Garm isn’t dead.”

Avior kept quiet the entire time, though as he spoke, Spongebob could feel the mage’s relief. “That’s a much more likely hypothesis,” Avior agreed once the knight had finished speaking. “It’s also what I’ve been trying to tell you, Azemar. Aside from you and Thorstein, no one here is from your world; we just happen to look and sound like them. I know it can be hard to make the distinction because of that, but you need to keep telling yourself we’re not from your world.”

Spongebob nodded. “I’ll do my best to remember that.” He turned to gaze at the red mage. “What song were you singing before I came up here?”

“It’s one I was taught a long time ago.”

Spongebob waited for further explanation and realised he wasn’t getting one. He turned back so he could gaze at the stars above, taking solace in their cold, silent light. He also felt Avior’s emotions from beside him; thankfully, none of them were negative. In fact, the red mage’s emotions were quite like his at that moment. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, content to let the silence do the speaking.

After a few moments, he felt Avior’s arm around him and he let the mage draw him close to his side. He leaned against him, grateful for the peace between them. It didn’t feel right when Avior was unhappy with him, and vice versa. What did feel right was that moment, sitting on the rooftop at night, watching the stars and sitting close to the red mage.

* * *

“Azemar, wake up.”

Spongebob slowly opened his eyes, blinking in the daylight. He was stiff but felt the warmth of Avior against his side. Had he dozed off on the rooftop? A glance around confirmed he was indeed still on the roof.

“We need to meet up with the others,” Avior murmured from beside him. “I’m sure they’re wondering where we’ve been.”

“Okay.” Spongebob yawned and carefully stood before stretching. “We also need to discuss our next course of action.”

He and Avior climbed down the ladder and entered the inn. In their room, they saw the rest of the party; they each looked rather concerned.

Liang was the first to spot the two. “Azemar! Where’d ya get off to? We were about to start searchin’ the town for ya.”

“Oh, uh…” Spongebob trailed off, not sure if he should tell the truth. He knew he’d left his sword and helmet behind, and it would be an easy assumption to think something bad had happened to him and Avior.

“We’d found a different place to sleep,” Avior spoke up from behind him.

“Yeah?” Liang regarded them, though her gaze held suspicion once again.

“Yes. Now, Azemar’s mentioned we need to discuss what we should do next, and I agree.”

Spongebob noted how smoothly the red mage had steered the conversation away but decided not to comment on it. After all, they did need to talk about what they should do since Garm was defeated.

Liang looked unhappy but she joined the others as they sat at the table. Spongebob took an extra moment to grab his helmet and sword before seating himself next to Avior. He hooked the sword to his armour as Shipley spoke up.

“Since Garm be defeated, we ain’t got a reason to stay here anymore,” the crustacean pointed out. “Besides, methinks once word gets out of Garm’s defeat, his army will come after us. We need to be gone before then.”

“I doubt the army will do much without their leader,” Liang pointed out, “but we do need to get movin’ again. Azemar, what’s the name of the next town?”

Spongebob took his guidebook from his inventory and opened it to the pages with the maps. He traced his finger along the route they’d already covered, then checked nearby the area marked for Springwick for the nearest town. “Um… it looks like Swanpoint?”

The others turned to Shipley, who shrugged. “There ain’t any of Lord Zurnas’ servants in that town.”

“It’s not too far from here, either,” Spongebob added, his eyes still on the map. “Maybe that’s why Garm stayed in touch with Shipley, since Swanpoint isn’t under Zurnas’ rule.”

“Maybe,” Shipley agreed.

“At least we won’t have to spend nearly a week camping out again,” Spongebob pointed out. “If I’m seeing the map correctly, it’s only a two-day journey.”

“What’s the next town after Swanpoint?” Liang asked.

The sea sponge consulted the map again. “I think it’s Ravenwood.”

This time, Shipley nodded. “Aye, that be where Tren the berserker makes her home.”

“Her?” Spongebob blinked.

“Aye lad, Lord Zurnas employed Tren not long after he recruited me. He had me at Roserock and Tren at Ravenwood. I ain’t spoken with her since it would take weeks to get a messenger back ‘n forth from there, but I heard rumours ‘bout what she’s done.”

“I’d better check for information on her.” Spongebob flipped through the pages until he came to the one on Tren. “It says her level is forty-five. I think we’ll have plenty of time to raise our levels by at least fifteen by the time we get there, especially if we stop at Swanpoint for a while.”

“So we’re headin’ to Swanpoint, then Ravenwood?” Liang asked.

“Yep.” Spongebob nodded, closing his book. “We can stay at Swanpoint as long as we need, too, to give us a safe place to come back to and heal and stock up on items. That way, the going to Ravenwood will be easier on us.”

“How far do ya think Ravenwood is from Swanpoint?”

“It’s hard to say with the map, but I’d guess at least three to four days.”

Avior did some quick mental calculations. “So our travel time from here to Ravenwood will be almost a week.”

“Yeah, but at least we’ll have a break during that time,” Spongebob pointed out.

“True. Sitting around here talking about it isn’t getting us to Swanpoint any faster, either.”

“You’re right.” Liang stood. “Let’s grab some breakfast and get goin’.”

* * *

The party left Springwick shortly after eating breakfast at the farmer’s market; Shipley and Liang each carried a bag of food to get them through the next two days. The others only carried their canteen, though as before, Spongebob also carried Patrick’s. Fighting monsters was a little more difficult since they had to guard their food, but they took turns guarding the bags, which eased some of the difficulty.

It was a little easier on Spongebob to fight the monsters since they didn’t resemble any Bikini Bottomites, but his mind continually drifted back to the battle with Garm. Even if Garm wasn’t Larry, the sea sponge had still ordered for his death. It was one thing to take out monsters who were attacking them, but Spongebob’s party had provoked the fight with Garm and let a dragon eat him. Why?

When they settled down for the evening – in a wooded area, of course – Avior leaned in close to Spongebob. “I know you’re still upset about that battle with Garm,” he said softly.

Spongebob nodded, not meeting his gaze. “We’ve been defending ourselves up until these fights with Zurnas’ underlings, and then we start those fights. Why? They haven’t done anything wrong.”

Avior scoffed. “Did you forget who they all work for? Did you forget _why_ we’re even doing this in the first place? It was your own suggestion, Azemar; you wanted to defeat the black wizard’s servants so he couldn’t send them after us later. You can see it as provoking the fights but we’re also defending ourselves from future danger. What would happen if we just went straight to the black wizard and tried to take him on at whatever level we happened to be at? You should know the first thing the black wizard would do is send his servants after us. There’d be too many of them to take on all at once, and our levels wouldn’t be high enough. Even if, by some chance, we managed to defeat them all, we’d be far too weakened to properly fight the black wizard immediately afterwards.

“We’d die if we did that, Azemar. Do you want to die by trying something so foolish? Besides, I know we’re provoking these fights against Shipley and Garm, but it’s still self-defence, just like when we fight the monsters between towns. Don’t keep beating yourself up over all of this, okay? We’re fighting to survive and to restore peace to the land, nothing more.”

Spongebob kept his gaze on the fire whilst Avior spoke, and when the latter finished, he stayed quiet a little while longer. All these questions about why they were doing what they did kept threatening to come to the surface, but he knew he shouldn’t dwell on them. After all, he and Patrick _were_ in a video game; did he ever have these moral questions when he played any other game?

No.

The sea sponge took a deep breath. “You’re right, Avior. I don’t know why I’ve been thinking so deeply about this; we _are_ just fighting for our survival. I’ll do my best to not let it get to me with the next servant of Zurnas that we have to face.”

“Good.” Avior smiled at him. “By the way, there’s a location at the edge of Swanpoint called Crystal Peak; when we get to the town, I’d like to go there with you.”

Spongebob turned to look at the red mage. “How do you know about Crystal Peak?”

“I looked at the map. Remember, I was the one who gave you the book; I’d looked over the maps a bit before I left it for you.”

“Ohh, okay.” Spongebob returned his gaze to the fire. “Sure, I’d like to see a place with that name; I bet it’s very pretty.”

Avior kept his own gaze on the knight seated beside him. “I’m sure it is,” he murmured.

* * *

Late afternoon the next day, the group arrived at Swanpoint. Spongebob, in the lead, gasped in wonder. The town was smaller than the last two they’d visited, but it was gorgeous. The buildings were constructed from white stone and had wooden roofs, and as sunlight shone on the stones, they sparkled. The same was true for the white brick roads and the large fountain in the centre of town. The fountain bore a statue of a swan, its long neck curving upwards, whilst clear water trickled from its open beak. The water also caught the sunlight as it spilt into the base, sending up small shining droplets and creating a rainbow.

“Wow,” Spongebob marvelled, hardly daring to move. It almost felt as though it was a fragile picture that he didn’t want to disturb. “This town is beautiful.”

“Aye, lad,” Shipley agreed, “though it be a bit too much sparkling for me liking.” He rubbed at one of his eyes.

“I ain’t seen any town near as pretty as this one,” Liang commented as she stepped ahead of the others. “I’m surprised the black wizard ain’t tried to take this place over.”

“Maybe he couldn’t,” Avior said.

“Huh?” Liang and Spongebob spoke at the same time as they gazed at the red mage in confusion.

Avior shrugged. “It’s possible he wasn’t able to take over the town, though I don’t know how. There might be some sort of magic at work here that we’re not aware of.”

“Can you sense any magic?” Spongebob asked.

“There’s some, but it’s hard to tell where it’s coming from or what kind it is.”

“Well, we can worry about that later.” Spongebob gestured to the buildings. “We should find the inn as well as a place to eat.”

Patrick sniffed the air. “I think I know where the food’s at,” he reported as he headed down a road. “Maybe down here…”

“I’ll look for the inn,” Liang volunteered as she went in the opposite direction.

“What are you going to do, Shipley?” Spongebob asked.

“Hm, if these streets ‘n buildings be shinin’ like this, there might be some loot around.” At that, he took off down the main road, gazing about.

“Meow.”

Spongebob turned to the snail beside him. “You’re free to do what you’d like, Jayde. We’re probably going to be here for a few days, so it’s best to have a look around town. You might even find Thorstein when he locates the tavern.”

“Meow.” Jayde didn’t look very happy but slithered away.

Spongebob realised he’d unintentionally left himself alone with Avior, who had fallen silent. He recalled what the mage had told him the previous day. “I wonder which way Crystal Peak is located,” he said as he looked around.

“That way.” Avior pointed northwest. “It’s just outside town.”

“Did you want to go there now?”

The red mage shook his head. “Tomorrow.”

“U- Um, alright.” Spongebob was at a loss of words. Avior usually didn’t speak so bluntly with him, though he knew if he tried asking about it, he wouldn’t get an answer. Perhaps his mysterious behaviour would be solved when they went to Crystal Peak… at least, that’s what he hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I drew a pic based on the scene where Spongebob and Avior are on the roof of the inn; have a looksee: https://twitter.com/spongebob2600/status/1285059618796974081


	12. Chapter 12

The following morning, Spongebob woke up feeling refreshed. The inn seemed to be the same as all the others, but the bed was more comfortable than any other one he’d slept on since he’d been transported into the game. The food they’d eaten the previous evening wasn’t the same mutton served at all the taverns, but rather they had a variety of food to choose from. Swanpoint was just about a paradise. Spongebob wanted to completely relax and unwind in the town, but something kept nagging at him that everything seemed _too_ perfect.

To his surprise, when he checked the side of his bed where Avior slept, he discovered he was alone. He’d barely seen the red mage last night, and now he was gone again. There was no telling what he was up to.

Nevertheless, Spongebob went to the tavern to eat breakfast; he met with Liang and Jayde, who were eating. He joined them at their table once he got his own food.

“Mornin’, Azemar,” Liang greeted when he sat.

“Good morning, Liang,” Spongebob replied.

“Meow.”

“Good morning, Jayde.” The sea sponge returned his attention to Liang. “Have you seen Avior lately?”

Liang shook her head. “I’m surprised he ain’t with ya, to be honest. That fella’s always hangin’ around ya; we never see ya alone anymore.”

“Er… well, at least it’s good we have a spellcaster in the party, right?”

“If that’s how ya wanna look at it, I s’pose. But I’m startin’ to think Shipley is right; that Avior may be tryin’ to manipulate ya to make it easier for us to lose to the black wizard.”

Spongebob sighed in exasperation. “Why would you believe Shipley over something like that? I thought you didn’t trust him.”

“He’s provin’ to be more trustworthy than Avior,” Liang pointed out. “Shipley’s been carryin’ his weight when the time calls for it, but I ain’t seen anything of the sort from Avior.”

“That’s because he’s been helping me more than anything,” Spongebob replied evenly. “Remember when I was blinded during the fight with Garm? He was the only one who came over to help.”

“We were _tryin’_ to defeat Garm,” Liang shot back. “Or did ya forget about that?”

“I didn’t forget, but if Avior hadn’t helped, I would’ve been an easy target for Garm.”

Liang shook her head. “Say what ya will, Azemar, but I still don’t trust Avior. If he ever does somethin’ to earn my trust, I’ll take back my words.” She stood. “I’m gonna take a look ‘round town and see what I can do to keep up with my trainin’.”

Spongebob watched her leave, then rubbed his forehead. “I just don’t understand why I’m the only one who trusts Avior,” he mumbled.

“Meow,” Jayde replied.

“You do?” Spongebob gaped at the snail in surprise.

“Meow, meow. Meow.”

Spongebob slowly let out his breath. “I don’t know, I wish I could find a way to convince everyone else that he can be trusted.”

“Meow? Meow, meow.”

“You did? Was he at Crystal Peak?”

“Meow.”

“Oh! I should go there and see if he’s waiting for me.”

“Meow, meow.”

“R- Right, breakfast first.” Spongebob wolfed down his meal before bolting out of the tavern.

He paused outside, taking a moment to gather his bearings. The glittering stones and bricks looked lovely, but sometimes it got a bit dizzying to look at them for long. He remembered where Avior had pointed the previous day, and he made his way down a couple of streets before finding a western gate leading out of town.

He exited through the gate and had another look around. There didn’t seem to be any monsters around, though since he was outside of Swanpoint, he knew he was at risk of being attacked. A short distance away, he spotted a tall hill that ended in a cliff. He kept a hand on his sword as he walked towards the hill. He was certain it was Crystal Peak.

When he reached the base of the hill, he gazed upwards at the summit. It was hard to tell from his vantage point, but he was sure he could see a familiar figure at the top. He began his ascent.

After what felt like ages, he finally reached the top; indeed, the red mage was leaning against a tree, waiting for him. Neither spoke as Spongebob made his way to Avior’s side and gazed out at the view beyond the cliff. The morning sun shone down, filtering through the leaves of the tree and leaving dappled shadows at their feet. A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, and the soft trickle of a stream not far from the hill helped contribute to the calm atmosphere. Truly, it was a beautiful day on Crystal Peak.

“Azemar…”

“Yes, Avior?”

“You said I’m this ‘Squidward’ person, right?”

Spongebob blinked in surprise. “Uh, well, you look like him and sound like him, but I can’t say if you _are_ him, since you claim to not even recognise the name.”

“I _don’t_ recognise it,” Avior said, his gaze on the fields in the distance. “You must believe me.”

“I do,” Spongebob said softly, also observing the lush green fields.

“And you’ve claimed to not hail from these lands… or this world. And once the black wizard is vanquished, you and Thorstein will return to your world.”

“That’s right.” He couldn’t explain it, but for the first time, the thought of leaving the world of _Iron and Sorcery_ made Spongebob feel… what? Unhappy?

“What will happen to the rest of us?” Avior asked, apparently not mentioning the turmoil the sea sponge was feeling.

“I dunno,” Spongebob admitted. “I mean, this is just a—” He stopped himself from finishing the sentence. He knew no one other than Patrick were aware of their existence in a video game, and he didn’t want the others to know the truth… not just yet.

“Just a what?”

“Um, nothing.” Spongebob gulped. “I just… I don’t know what will happen to you guys when Thorstein and I return to our world. Since Zurnas will be defeated, maybe the rest of you could help re-shape the land to what it had been before he’d taken over. You could make it even better than before.”

Avior let out a small sigh. “It’s not just that,” he said. “I… It’s hard to say, but I… I don’t want you to go.”

“Huh?” Spongebob’s eyes widened as he turned to stare at him.

Avior kept his gaze focused straight ahead. “We’ve been through a lot to get to this point,” he continued. “We’ve fought together, we’ve learnt a lot about each other, too. I… I can’t explain it, but I just… I want you to stay here… with me.”

“Wh…” Spongebob felt his pulse speeding up.

“In the time we’ve travelled together… no, ever since I first saw you and Thorstein, I knew there was something about you that was different from anyone else I’d ever met. I’m no fortune-teller but I knew we’d eventually travel together and take down the black wizard together. But I just can’t imagine you leaving once that happens.”

“Wh- What are you saying?” Spongebob’s voice was just above a whisper, his heart pounding in his throat.

“I’m saying I care about you, Azemar.” Avior finally turned to look at him, though his expression was one Spongebob had never seen him showing before. “I care about you a lot, and not just as a fellow party member, or a friend, or… or anything like that. I care about _you_ as a person, and it would break my heart if you left once the black wizard is defeated.”

Spongebob was rendered speechless once again. Avior had used the word “care”, but the look on his face showed what he felt for the knight was far more than just caring about him. It was possible the red mage didn’t know what the actual word was. Based on his own racing pulse and his unhappiness at the thought of leaving the video game world, Spongebob could tell his feelings were the same. But how could he say such a thing to Avior? And when and how did those feelings come about?

He realised he already knew: those feelings had been there for a long time. It was the emotion he couldn’t put a name to, the exact same one the red mage had felt. Right now, that emotion was coming from Avior with a strong intensity, and Spongebob was certain the mage could feel the same coming from him.

“I… I care about you a lot, too, Avior,” he finally said, surprised to hear his voice was thick with emotion. As he cleared his throat, he knew he had to use the correct word to describe how he felt. “No, I… it’s not just care, I… I love you, Avior.”

The red mage’s eyes widened as he gaped at the knight. After a moment, he regained his composure. “That’s the word I was thinking of,” he murmured. “It’s love that I feel for you, isn’t it?”

“Probably.”

Avior took hold of Spongebob’s gloved hands. “I _love_ you, Azemar, and I don’t want you to leave, ever. When the black wizard is defeated, please, _please_ , stay here with me.”

Spongebob’s eyes filled with tears. He never thought he’d fall in love with a video game character, though there was still a small chance the red mage really was Squidward. He also knew he couldn’t stay when they beat the game, since he and Patrick needed to return to their world, and their normal lives.

His tears spilt down his cheeks as he whispered, “I can’t.”

“But why?” Avior looked hurt. “I just admitted to being in love with you, and you feel the same, so why can’t you stay?” He paused thoughtfully. “Could I maybe go with you to your world?”

“I don’t know if that’s possible.”

“Is it because of that Squidward person? What if… What if I _am_ Squidward? Could I go to your world with you if that’s the case?”

“Yes, but… Oh, Avior.” Spongebob lowered his head and closed his eyes. “If you really are Squidward, and we go to my world when Zurnas is defeated… you won’t remember being here or experiencing any of this.”

Avior let go of one of Spongebob’s hands and used his own to tilt the knight’s head back up. “It’s okay,” he answered softly, “as long as I can still be with you. I know, no matter what may happen, even if I am Squidward and won’t remember our adventures in this world… I know I won’t ever forget what I feel for you right now.” He leaned closer and murmured, “I will always love you, Azemar.”

Spongebob didn’t resist as Avior pressed their lips together in a kiss. He’d never kissed anyone before, but this one felt special… and incredibly good. He closed his eyes again as he relished the sensation, letting the love they both felt wash over him. He didn’t want the moment to ever end, and he also knew he couldn’t bear to be apart from Avior.

After what felt like ages, they pulled apart. Avior’s loving gaze stayed on Spongebob for several long moments before the latter spoke again. “I love you, Avior, but…” Tears blurred his vision again as he remembered their fate once the game was over.

“Shh.” Avior gently placed a gloved tentacle on his lips. “We’ll work everything else out later. Let’s just enjoy the time we have together for as long as it lasts.”

“Okay.” Spongebob blinked away his tears as the red mage moved his hand away.

“Azemar!” A familiar voice drifted up to them from behind. “Where’d ya go?”

“Oh, shrimp,” Spongebob muttered. “That’s Liang.”

“We’d better get back to the others.” Avior’s expression was rueful.

Spongebob smiled at him, and the mage smiled as well. Spongebob noted how much cuter Avior looked when he smiled but kept that thought to himself as he followed him down the hill and back to Swanpoint.

* * *

He could hardly believe how much things had changed in such a short time. He’d known there was something special about the person who’d followed them since the beginning of their journey, but for it to have escalated this far?

But he also knew he couldn’t deny the feelings that had grown within both of them over time, despite how short that time frame had been. Since they shared a connection that allowed them to know what the other was feeling, he knew with absolute certainty his feelings were returned in equal measure.

Now came the big question: how was he going to tell everyone else? None of them trusted Avior, although Jayde had told him he’d trusted the red mage only because Spongebob did. That hardly counted as genuine trust. But the sea sponge knew deep in his heart that Avior could be trusted, there was no question about it. The problem was getting the remaining three members of the party to trust him.

All these thoughts ran through his head as he ate his dinner at the tavern with the rest of his party. Naturally, Avior was right beside him; if it hadn’t been for their shared confession just hours ago, it appeared as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. However, he clearly remembered everything that took place on Crystal Peak, especially the kiss. It had felt so good, so right, and he knew he wanted more. Unfortunately, until he could figure out how to break the news to the others, he had to keep it to himself.

“Azemar.”

Spongebob turned to his left. “Yes, Avior?”

“What’s on your mind? Your emotions are going berserk.”

“Oh.” He forced a laugh. “I’ve just been thinking; probably too much as usual.”

“What are you thinking about?”

Spongebob was taken aback at the question. Usually, Avior would reprimand him for letting things get to him, but now he seemed genuinely interested in what was on his mind. “Er… well, everything,” he answered. “Mostly what happened earlier today.”

Avior nodded. “It’s a lot to take in and get used to, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…”

“I did mean everything I said, though.”

“So did I, but…” Spongebob returned his gaze to his half-eaten plate of food.

“But what?”

“How’re we going to tell the others?” Spongebob lowered his voice. “I mean, they still don’t trust you, even though I keep telling them that you _can_ be trusted.”

“Just telling them isn’t enough, Azemar, you should know that. I’d have to do something to earn their trust, and right now, there isn’t a way to show them. But I promise I’ll think of something, so don’t worry about it, alright?”

Spongebob nodded, still keeping his gaze lowered. He didn’t know what to say, so he remained quiet.

He felt a familiar hand on his arm as Avior leaned in close and murmured, “I love you, Azemar.”

He swallowed, now feeling warmth creeping over him at the mage’s words. He almost wished he weren’t surrounded by the rest of his party as he looked back at Avior. “I love you, too,” he replied softly.

After dinner, the party retired to the inn for the night. Spongebob felt as though his new feelings for Avior was a massive weight on his shoulders since he had to keep it between himself and the red mage. He kept the thought to himself as he unhooked his sword from his armour and gazed at the hilt. The red stone was still giving off a soft glow; surprisingly, ever since the battle against Garm, the stone had not stopped shining. He never figured out why it had started glowing in the first place – the closest he could think of was that it represented Avior, though he drew a blank on anything more specific – whilst the other two remained dark.

He sighed as he pushed the sword under the bed; the light hadn’t bothered him yet, but he didn’t want the possibility of him losing sleep because of it to exist. He climbed into bed and immediately felt Avior’s arms around him. Previously, the red mage had maintained a respectful distance between himself and Spongebob, but things were different now.

Everything was different now.

“Azemar,” Avior’s soft voice drifted to his ears. “You’re still upset by something.”

Spongebob let out a sigh. “Everything’s still so confusing,” he confessed.

“Is it what we talked about this morning?”

“Sort of.”

“It’s also related to what you said a little while ago, at dinner?”

“A bit, yeah.”

He felt the red mage nuzzle him. “Don’t worry about it; things will work out on their own. If it’s something you can do, then go for it. Anything else, just wait and see what happens. There’s no sense getting worked up about things you can’t control.”

“Yeah… But there’s one thing I’m still trying to figure out.”

“What’s that?”

“My sword.”

“What about it?”

“I still don’t know how I got it; at level one, I shouldn’t have had it. Now, the red gem keeps glowing, but I don’t know why.”

Avior was silent for a few moments. “You said that gem represents me, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think the blue gem represents you?”

Spongebob thought on it. “Maybe, but why isn’t it glowing? And what about the one at the base of the hilt? What happens when they’re all glowing? What makes them glow like that in the first place?”

Avior sighed. “Azemar, you’re doing it again.”

“What?”

“Thinking too much into things. I told you if you can’t control something, let it take care of itself. That includes your sword. Sure, there are a lot of mysteries surrounding it, but since we have no answers and no way of knowing how to get those answers, just leave it be. The glowing gem hasn’t affected your ability to use the sword, so I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“You’re right.” Spongebob tried to force his questions out of his mind and instead turned to face Avior. “I just wish we had answers for these questions.”

“I’m sure we’ll get them eventually, but for now, we need to get some sleep.” Avior kissed the top of his head.

Spongebob closed his eyes as he leaned against the red mage. “Goodnight, Avior.”

“Goodnight, Azemar.”

* * *

The next morning, Spongebob awakened to a bed vacant of anyone but himself. He sat up and glanced around – he was the only one in the room. Where did the others go?

He hopped off the bed and hooked his sword to his armour. When he picked up his helmet from the floor, he gasped. There was a note lying underneath it. He picked it up and recognised Avior’s handwriting:

_Come to Crystal Peak._

He turned the paper over, hoping for more information. Nothing. Clamping a lid on his frustration, he concentrated, trying to pick up on the red mage’s emotions.

It was faint, but he could feel them: love and patience.

Spongebob smiled to himself. He knew the love was directed at him, as he, too, had the same feelings for Avior. The distance told him he really was at Crystal Peak.

He placed his helmet on his head and exited the inn. It was a bit strange not to see his friends around, but it was possible they’d gone to the tavern to eat breakfast. Spongebob was also hungry, but he knew it could wait; he was more interested in what Avior wanted.

Within minutes, he was outside the town gates and headed northwest to Crystal Peak once again. He could feel the emotions from Avior growing stronger as he walked closer. He could still hardly believe they’d both confessed just the previous day; it was like a dream. However, he knew his racing heartbeat and the love he sensed in the distance was anything but a dream. He couldn’t wait to see the red mage again.

Before he knew it, he spotted the base of Crystal Peak, and he sped up to a run. There, at the top, a familiar figure waited for him. When he reached the summit, he flung himself into the red mage’s arms.

“Avior,” Spongebob murmured into his chest. “Oh, Avior…”

“Azemar.” He wrapped his arms around the knight and held him close. “My beautiful knight.”

Spongebob looked up at him. “Why did you want to meet me here?”

“Because I have two surprises for you, my love.”

“Two?” Spongebob blinked.

“Yes. The first one is right here.” He removed one arm from the sea sponge as he gestured to his left.

Spongebob turned and gasped as Liang, Shipley, Patrick and Jayde approached. He wanted to pull away from Avior, but the mage kept his other arm around him.

Liang was the first to speak up. “Avior told us ‘bout what ya talked about yesterday,” she explained. “I’ll admit I didn’t want to believe him, but it’s true, ain’t it, Azemar?”

Spongebob managed a nod. “Y- Yes, it’s true.” He turned back to the red mage. “Avior, why did you tell them?”

“Because we need to have complete trust amongst all party members,” Avior replied. “There should be no secrets between us, especially something like this. How do you think they’d feel if we hid this from them?”

“They’d be pretty mad,” Spongebob answered.

“Exactly. The sooner they find out, the better.”

“I ain’t mad at ya, Azemar,” Liang added, “just surprised. I knew ya liked Avior, just… not this much, ya know?”

“Yeah, I know. I didn’t mean to hide it, but I guess I wanted to take a little time to get used to it. This has never happened to me before, and I know it changes everything we’ve done up to this point.”

“This _does_ change everythin’,” Liang agreed. “Especially when the rest of us ain’t so sure where Avior’s loyalties lay.” The red mage gave her a surprised look, but she continued, “I know ya got feelings for Azemar and he does for ya, too, and I’m glad ya told us right away, but it still ain’t proved much in your favour.”

Avior seemed taken aback for a moment, then sighed. “You’re right. I thought being open and honest would help, but there’s still a difference between honesty and trust.”

“Methinks this is still a plot,” Shipley grumbled.

“A… plot?” Avior raised an eyebrow.

“Aye, a plot. Ye’re just tryin’ to weaken the lad here so he won’t be able to fight against Lord Zurnas, especially when ye turn against ‘im.”

“Turn against Azemar?” Avior now looked shocked and angered as he finally let go of Spongebob. “What about _you_ , Shipley?”

“What about me?”

“You claim to not work for the black wizard, yet all this time, you still call him ‘Lord’. That sounds like you’re still his servant.”

“Wh… I…” Shipley was at a momentary loss. “Th- That’s just habit; I’ve been workin’ for Lord… ah, Zurnas, for many a year. Ye get used to callin’ ‘im by that title after a while, and ye don’t really notice it.”

“Right.” Avior’s tone was sarcastic as he crossed his arms over his chest. “A habit. What’s the next convenient excuse you’ll give us when _you_ turn on us?”

“Me?!” Shipley was outraged. “Why, I oughtta—”

“Stop!”

Both fell silent and looked at Spongebob, who had shouted. The sea sponge took a moment to collect his thoughts before he spoke again. “Please, let’s not fight amongst ourselves.” He gazed at Shipley, then Avior. “We need to work together as a team. If we’re all honest about not working for Zurnas, then we all need to do our part to help where we can. Besides, I know none of us are double agents working for Zurnas; Shipley’s already proven his loyalty during the fight with Garm, and since I can feel Avior’s emotions, I know he’s not hiding anything. It’s not much, but if you all trust _me_ , don’t you trust my word?”

The others, Liang included, looked guilty. “You’re right, Azemar,” the black belt said. “We all trust ya, but apparently we ain’t trustin’ your word, which ain’t trust at all. Ya ain’t steered us wrong yet, so if ya say Shipley and Avior can be trusted, then doggone it, I’ll trust ‘em both, too.”

Shipley frowned. “The lass is right. We’re not trustin’ your word when we should. I can tell ye really love the red mage, too. I was just sayin’ all that earlier because I was worried about ye, lad… er, Azemar. I don’t want ye to get hurt just because yer heart be tellin’ ye the wrong things.”

Spongebob was touched. Shipley had never called him by name before, and certainly had never opened up to him like this. It reminded him so much of Mr Krabs that he almost started crying.

He felt Avior’s arm around him once again, though this time, it was much gentler. “I, of all people, should trust your word, Azemar. I love you more than life itself, and if you say I should trust Shipley, then I will.” He paused. “By the way, I never showed you the second surprise.”

Spongebob, who had forgotten all about the second surprise, nodded. As long as there was peace in his party, he was content. “R- Right, what is the second surprise?”

“This.” Avior used his free hand to produce a small navy-coloured drawstring bag. He deposited it in Spongebob’s hands.

The knight opened the bag and reached inside. Once his hand closed around the object inside, he pulled his hand out and opened it. A shining gold band rested in his palm. “Wh... Wha…”

“It’s a ring.” Avior removed his arm from Spongebob as he took the ring, along with Spongebob’s left hand. He carefully placed the ring on the knight’s finger, on top of the glove.

Spongebob’s cheeks coloured. “B- B- But…”

Avior placed his hand on top of Spongebob’s, which was resting on the mage’s other hand. “You’ll see what happens with this very soon,” he said softly. “Consider this my gift to you for the love you have brought me, my brave knight. We’ll face whatever happens in the future together.”

“I love you so much, Avior.” Spongebob wrapped his arms around the red mage as they kissed. In the back of Spongebob’s mind, however, he couldn’t help but worry – despite what Avior had said to the contrary – about what would happen to them once Zurnas was defeated.


	13. Chapter 13

The party stayed in Swanpoint for a week. Spongebob hadn’t intended for them to stay so long, but it took quite some time for their levels to get high enough for them to take on Tren in Ravenwood. They spent each day outside town, battling monsters until they ran out of potions and Ethers, then returned to re-stock the items. It was tedious, but Spongebob knew level-grinding, even when playing the game from home, was always a tedious thing. However, it would allow them to safely travel to Ravenwood without running into any danger.

On the seventh day, after breakfast, Spongebob purchased lots of potions, Ethers and more. He also got some equipment upgrades for everyone; again, he was presented with the opportunity to buy a new sword, and as before, he refused. He still had so many questions about the one he’d started out with, and until he got those answers, he refused to part with it. He realised it was the only time he never upgraded a particular piece of equipment when playing a game. Then again, he wasn’t just playing this game.

When everyone was ready, Spongebob took the lead out of town. Avior was at his side, holding his hand. The knight had consulted his guidebook for the direction they should travel – northeast – and had stayed with his travel time estimate of four days to get to Ravenwood.

As they walked, Spongebob spoke up. “Since we’ve got a lot of time to get to Ravenwood,” he began, “we should go ahead and work on a strategy to fight Tren. Shipley had said she’s a berserker, right?”

“Aye,” Shipley replied. “I ain’t seen her in many a year; I last saw her when the black wizard was assignin’ us to our towns to rule. She seemed friendly enough at the time, but beserkers truly shine when they’re fightin’.”

Spongebob nodded. In the week they’d spent level-grinding, Shipley had worked on not using the title of “Lord” when speaking of Zurnas; instead, he used the term “black wizard” like the rest of the party did. Spongebob was the only one who called Zurnas by name.

“Berserkers are a lot like Vikings,” he mused aloud, recalling what he’d read in his guidebook. “The biggest difference is that berserkers lose control when they’re fighting, making them completely unpredictable.”

“How are we going to stop someone who’s lost control in a fight?” Avior asked.

“Good question,” Spongebob answered. “When a berserker attacks, even out of control, they’d have to stop for a while, right? So we’d need someone to be there as soon as Tren stops her attack. I think our biggest asset is Thorstein, since he’s a Viking and has higher HP than the rest of us. He’d be well-suited to withstand the attacks, and either Liang or I could get in as soon as Tren stops.”

“Do you think it’d help if I cast Slow on her as well?”

“I’m not sure if magic would work on a berserker, to be honest. If it was cast before she went out of control, it might work, but that’d be about it. I hate to say it, but I think your white magic skills would be more useful in the fight.”

Avior looked downcast. “I was afraid you’d say that.”

Spongebob gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “There may be guards we have to fight first, like with Garm, and we could use your offensive magic then.”

“How about we take care of our more immediate threat first?” Avior used his free hand to point to the distance, where a monster swarm was converging.

“Good idea.” Spongebob let go of Avior’s hand as he drew his sword. “We’ll talk more once we take care of these guys.”

* * *

That evening, the party settled down for the night around a campfire they’d built. Liang had used one of the days in Swanpoint to make more mutton strips, but they’d also brought along a bag of fresher food. This is what Shipley handed out for their dinner.

They ate in silence for a few minutes before Liang spoke up. “So our fight against Tren… we’re gonna let Thorstein do most of the fightin’?”

Spongebob nodded, glancing at his best friend. “Do you think you’re up for it, Thorstein?”

“Up for what?” Patrick asked.

“The fight against Tren,” Spongebob replied. “What we’ve been talking about?”

“Oh, yeah.” Patrick nodded. “Uh-huh, I could help.”

Spongebob fought back a sigh. “You’re not just helping, you’re going to do most of the fighting. Remember what I’d told you during our first few days here? You’re a tank, so you can last longer in battle. We’re going to need that for the battle with Tren.”

“Ohh, okay. So what do I do?”

“When Tren goes crazy with her fighting, you use your shield to protect yourself. When she stops, Liang and I will come in quickly for the attack. When Tren starts fighting again, you’ll fight back. Got it?”

Patrick nodded again. “Got it.”

Spongebob was sure the starfish didn’t really understand, but he was prepared to lay out the plan again once they were at Ravenwood and ready to fight the town’s ruler. He gazed at the fire for a few moments before he felt Avior winding an arm around him. He leaned against the red mage, grateful he could fully understand the feelings coming from him. It was frustrating not knowing what one of them was, but now he knew it was love he could feel, which was identical to his own.

“Do you think you’ll be ready for this fight?” Avior asked softly.

“I’m not sure,” Spongebob admitted. “Every time we face a servant of Zurnas, it turns out to be someone I know very well… at least, I know them in my world. I can’t imagine who Tren may look like, and I’m not looking forward to finding out who Zurnas himself resembles. I know you told me they’re not the same as the people in my world, but it’s still so hard raising my sword against them when their face and voice are the exact same.”

He closed his eyes. “What if the next battle ends like the one with Garm? Can I make myself order Jayde to do something like that again?”

“Jayde is our trump card, remember? You only used his ability when we were about to lose against Shipley and Garm. Since our levels are higher than Tren’s, and we’re carefully plotting out our strategy, we may not have to use a dragon to end the fight again. Remember, don’t just focus on the what-ifs and the maybes; focus on what you can control. Keep a positive mindset and know we will win.”

“Yeah… I’m so glad you’re here, Avior. You’ve helped me out in so many ways, I could never thank you enough.”

“Knowing that you love me is thanks enough, Azemar. I—”

“Are ya ready to sleep?” Liang asked from nearby. “I got the first watch.”

“Oh!” Spongebob straightened up. “I should get everyone’s sleeping bags.”

Avior sighed as Spongebob opened his inventory and took out the sleeping bags. The sea sponge handed them out to everyone, saving Avior’s for last. When he gave the bag to the red mage, Spongebob looked past him at something in the distance. The fire gave off enough light to reflect off something, which caught his attention. Without a word, he walked off in the direction of the shining object.

“Azemar, what are you—” Avior turned and watched the knight disappear into the shadows. “Azemar?” He stood, concern rising.

A few moments later, Spongebob returned, holding a glittering object in his hands. He still didn’t say anything.

Avior waited until he was closer before speaking. “What is it?”

Spongebob held up his hands. “It’s a feather.”

Indeed, resting across his gloved hands was a shining golden feather. Avior’s eyes widened as he studied it. “It’s lovely… but where did you find it?”

Spongebob nodded in the direction he’d come from. “Over there, by a tree. The fire’s light reflected off it, which I saw. Do you know where it could have come from?”

Avior shook his head. “No idea; I’ve never seen a golden feather before.”

“Maybe it’s a good-luck charm,” Spongebob suggested.

“What makes you say that?”

“I dunno, I just feel like it could be.” Spongebob removed his helmet and placed the feather inside. “I’ll hang onto it for now, until we figure out where it’s from and what it’s for.”

“Good idea. Now, let’s try to get some sleep; you have the second watch, after all.”

* * *

The journey to Ravenwood lasted four days, as predicted. At one point, Spongebob had realised he’d completely lost track of the time he’d been stuck in the game, but at the same time, he was so caught up in Avior that little else mattered. It was at the point where he wanted the quest to defeat Zurnas to last as long as possible so he could stay with the red mage.

When they approached the gates to Ravenwood on the morning of the fourth day, the group stopped. “Do you know if there’s anything we should be prepared for, Shipley?” Spongebob asked.

The crustacean shook his head. “I ain’t been out this far in a long time, boyo, so your guess is as good as mine. Methinks since Tren ain’t a ranger, if she had an army, there wouldn’t be any archers.”

“What about spellcasters?” Avior asked.

“Probably not,” Shipley replied. “Berserkers don’t care much for magic, since they rely on their physical strength to attack.”

Spongebob nodded. “Then we should be okay when we go through the gates?”

“Aye, but stay on guard, just in case.”

Spongebob nodded a second time and motioned for the party to follow him as he led the way to the gates. He passed through them with no troubles and listened for any potential threats from behind. When all six had safely entered the town, he relaxed.

“Whew, looks like everything’s clear.” Spongebob turned to the rest of the group. “What do you think we should do first?”

“Food!” Patrick announced.

“I think Thorstein has decided for us,” Avior said with a chuckle.

“Okay, let’s find a place to eat, then we’ll discuss what to do next.” Spongebob turned back to survey the town.

Ravenwood was larger than Swanpoint, though it seemed to be roughly the same size as Springwick. However, all the roads were made from dark-coloured bricks, and the buildings were constructed from dark stones. The town was closely bordered by a dense forest, and several trees grew here and there throughout the town. Overall, despite the daylight shining overhead, the town seemed dark and gloomy. Spongebob shuddered. No wonder it was called Ravenwood.

Spongebob felt a hand take hold of his, and he looked up to see Avior beside him. “I know the town looks intimidating,” the red mage said, “but I’m sure it’s like any other town. C’mon, let’s go down this road.” He guided the knight down the first street with the others in tow.

Everyone was quiet as they searched out the tavern. Despite Avior’s words to the contrary, it was hard to not feel alone and depressed whilst wandering through the streets. Even Jayde stuck closer to Spongebob, who eventually picked him up and carried him under his arm, since Avior still had hold of his other hand.

At last, they came across a tavern. Spongebob expected Patrick to dash inside, but oddly enough, he was just as subdued as the rest as they entered together. When everyone sat with their food – mutton, of course – Spongebob decided to break the silence and hopefully get everyone’s minds off the gloomy atmosphere.

“Okay, so we made it to Ravenwood safely, and we know Tren is somewhere in the town. She’s probably in a castle, though we don’t know where just yet. What do you guys think we should do first?”

“The sooner we get outta this town, the better,” Liang stated, picking up her mutton. “I ain’t a fan of this here creepy feelin’ I got ever since we got here.”

Shipley nodded his agreement. “Our levels also be high enough to take on Tren right now, so we ain’t gotta take even more time with trainin’.”

“They have a point,” Avior said.

Spongebob swallowed. He’d hoped someone would want to take time to explore the town, or check out the local activities, or _something_ … anything to keep him in the game a little longer. Unfortunately, he knew his friends were right: they’d spent a week at Swanpoint to level grind and were ready to fight Tren right away. There was no sense messing around in Ravenwood, especially when no one wanted to be there.

Avior gave him a curious look but said nothing. Spongebob was sure the mage had picked up on his disappointment, which was an unusual emotion to have in this instance. “Um, alright,” Spongebob finally said, “after breakfast, we’ll find the potion shoppe and stock up, then go to Tren’s castle. Once we’re there, I’ll go over the attack plan again.”

The rest of the party voiced their agreement before eating. Spongebob tried to push away his disappointment as he also ate his breakfast.

About an hour later, the six stood before a castle at the northeast corner of town. It, too, was constructed from dark bricks and stones, and the lack of lights or trees or pretty much anything else contributed to the dismal feeling of the place. Spongebob could hardly believe a berserker awaited them inside; it felt more like a place for an evil wizard.

Spongebob turned to Patrick. “Do you remember the plan, Thorstein?”

Patrick looked thoughtful. “Uhh…”

Spongebob sighed. He had a feeling his best friend would forget their strategy. “Tren is a berserker,” he reminded the starfish. “She attacks hard and fast, without control. Whilst she’s attacking, you use your shield to protect yourself, and to distract her. When she stops, Liang and I will go in and attack. When we move away, have your shield up and ready.”

Patrick nodded. “Shield, got it.”

Spongebob took a deep breath, hoping his best friend really did understand and would do as instructed. His abilities as a Viking were key to the battle. “Okay, let’s do this.” He pushed open the doors to the castle and stepped inside, the others on his heels.

The interior of the castle was just as dark and gloomy as the outside. Torches were lit in various places to provide a little light, but it was still difficult to see much. The party made their way through various hallways, trying to find the main room. After what felt like ages, they stopped in front of a set of large double doors. They could all tell the ruler of Ravenwood was behind those doors.

A hand grabbed Spongebob’s arm, and he opened his mouth to yell. A second hand clamped over his mouth, stifling the noise. “Shh,” Avior hissed into his ear. “Over here.”

Spongebob breathed a sigh of relief as Avior pulled him a short distance from the others. “What is it?” the knight asked, his voice lowered.

Avior responded by wrapping his arms around him and giving him a passionate kiss. Spongebob was surprised at first, but quickly let himself get lost in the sensation. It was such a wonderful feeling every time they kissed, and he never tired of it.

When they pulled apart, Avior spoke in a hushed tone. “I’m getting a bad feeling about this battle,” he confessed. “I just want you to be careful, my love.”

Spongebob smiled at the red mage, still a bit giddy from the kiss. “I will, don’t worry. I’ll never leave you, my beloved mage.”

Avior also smiled as he gave Spongebob one more quick kiss. “You know I won’t stop worrying about you until the battle’s over.”

“Of course. But we should get back to the others before they start worrying about us.”

“Right.” Avior let go of Spongebob as they re-joined the group.

“Let’s go,” Spongebob said as he opened the doors.

The room was spacious, much like Garm’s in Springwick, though the columns were made of black stone and the floor was hard dirt. Two or three windows provided daylight, though it was rather weak. There wasn’t a carpet running to the chair on the far end of the room; instead, six female fish dressed in tan-coloured leather stood in two rows, facing their leader. Spongebob squinted into the distance, trying to locate Tren.

The leader rose from her chair that was constructed from wood and stepped into a patch of sunlight. She was about Shipley’s height and wore light-coloured leather like her guards, though an animal pelt of some kind rested atop her head. She held a spear in one hand.

Spongebob tried not to gasp. He was certain the third boss would resemble someone he knew from Bikini Bottom, but… “Not Mrs Puff,” he murmured, knowing Avior could sense his sorrow and upset. It was already hard enough having to fight his work boss, but now he also had to fight his boating teacher?

“Who dares enter my castle?” Tren demanded, her guards turning to face the newcomers.

At least there were fewer guards this time, Spongebob thought before he responded. “Um… I’m Azemar, and these are my companions,” he said.

“What brings you here?” Tren frowned as she glared at him.

“We’re on a quest to defeat the black wizard Zurnas,” he explained, “so we—”

“Wait a minute,” Tren interrupted, looking past the knight. “Shipley? Mad Eye Shipley?”

“Aye,” the crustacean replied.

“Why are you with these people?”

“Because I’m helpin’ ‘em take down the black wizard.”

Tren was taken aback. “But you’ve been a loyal servant of Lord Zurnas for years; why defect now?”

“Because I’m captain of me own ship,” he declared. “I’m done workin’ for a guy who doesn’t value us or our hard work and pits us against each other. I made Roserock into a great town by meself, without the black wizard’s help, and I’m makin’ sure everyone else gets that chance, too.”

Tren blinked a few times. “But it was Lord Zurnas who allowed you to take over Roserock as its ruler,” she pointed out.

“Aye, but I’d asked the previous leader to step down, which he did on his own. What did _ye_ do to take over here in Ravenwood?”

“I thought we were supposed to kill the leader, weren’t we?”

Shipley shook his head. “We weren’t told what to do, Tren, only that we become ruler of our towns.”

Tren shook her head. “It really doesn’t matter _how_ we took over, Shipley. What matters is that we rule these towns and answer to Lord Zurnas.”

“Not me,” Shipley replied. “I ain’t answerin’ to the black wizard anymore.”

“Then I’m sure you won’t mind if I take you to Lord Zurnas myself,” Tren stated. “Just your head, of course.”

Spongebob unsheathed his sword. “You’ll have to get through the rest of us first.”

“Very well.” Tren glanced at the fish before her. “Guards! Attack!”

Spongebob braced himself as one of the guards came straight for him. Ordinarily, he’d have reservations about fighting women, but in a video game, he knew he couldn’t make exceptions. He raised his sword to parry the axe swung at him and took a quick glance to the side. It appeared there was one guard per party member, though Jayde had already taken cover. As a result, Liang found herself having to fight against two guards. Avior was a short distance from Spongebob, alternating between casting Fire when he got enough distance and defending with his short sword when the guard came in close.

The sea sponge returned his attention to the guard he was fighting; he pushed her axe off his sword and hopped backwards to create some distance. He thought over his next move as fast as possible: he knew Patrick would be more useful when they fought Tren, but the guards were putting up a good fight for now. The boss resembling his boating instructor hung back. She’d traded her spear for a large axe, much bigger than the one Patrick carried.

The guard charged at him again, and Spongebob swung his sword to knock the opposing blade away. He was worried in the time it’d take to defeat the guards, Patrick would forget his part of the plan, and there was no time to go over it with him again. He didn’t know what he’d do if the starfish ended up forgetting his role.

As the guard charged at him a third time, Spongebob realised how easily he was evading the attacks. He took aim and swung as hard as he could, slicing the guard in two. She fell to the floor before disappearing.

Trying not to think too much of this sudden ease of fighting, Spongebob leapt across the room to take on one of the two guards fighting with Liang. He used his sword to deflect an axe blow directed at the black belt, then moved to her side.

“Thanks, Azemar,” Liang panted. “It’s already hard enough fightin’ against a guard with an axe, but two of ‘em?” She shook her head.

“I figured you could use the help.” This time, instead of stopping the guard’s attack, Spongebob ducked low and swiped upward with his sword, cleaving the guard. She only had time to open her mouth before she vanished.

“Wow, Azemar,” Liang marvelled. “You’ve gotten real good at fightin’.”

“I guess I’ve gotten used to it.” When he shrugged, he caught sight of something on his left hand – the gold ring Avior had given to him the day after they’d confessed. He recalled the red mage’s words:

_You’ll see what happens with this very soon. Consider this my gift to you for the love you have brought me, my brave knight._

Spongebob’s eyes widened as it dawned on him. The ring wasn’t just a symbol of their love, it was a piece of equipment that raised his attack. It was proving invaluable now in the battle, allowing him to have an easier time fighting the guards. There was no telling how it would help against Tren.

“Azemar, care to do the honours?”

He blinked. Liang had her guard in a hold, and he knew it would be harder for the squirrel to finish off the guard, since she was unarmed. He held out his sword. “I’m ready.”

Liang released her hold on the guard and jumped away at the same instant he brought his sword down. The guard disappeared in a flash, and Liang brushed the dirt from her clothes. “Thanks,” she said. “Anyone else need help?”

The two surveyed the battle. Shipley had defeated his guard, and Avior cast one final Fire spell to get rid of his. Patrick traded blows with the sixth guard before giving the finishing swing. The five reconvened around Spongebob before facing Tren.

“The guards are gone,” Spongebob stated, pointing his sword at the boss and trying his best to forget how much she looked like Mrs Puff. “You’re next, Tren.”

“I won’t be as easy to defeat as those weaklings,” Tren declared as she took a deep breath, increasing her size. “You’ll soon face the wrath of the mighty Tren!”

Spongebob backed up a few paces. “Thorstein,” he hissed. “Front and centre!”

Patrick walked up to him. “What is it, buddy?”

“The plan, remember?” Spongebob kept his eyes on Tren, who had doubled in size at this point. He knew time was quickly running out. “You’re supposed to use your shield against Tren.”

Patrick looked up at the berserker. “She’s gotten really big, Sp—uh, Azemar. You didn’t tell me she was gonna do that.”

“Thorstein, _please_ , go with the plan.”

Patrick blinked slowly. “Okay, I think I got it.” He moved to stand in front of Spongebob, who backed away even more.

“Avior!”

“On it.” The red mage held up a hand. “Slow!” Magic energy shot from his gloved tentacle and bounced off Tren’s body. “Uh… oh…”

“Back, get back!” Spongebob pushed Avior backwards; Liang and Shipley also retreated. “I guess magic won’t work when she’s puffed up like this.” He wracked his mind, trying to come up with another strategy. He knew Patrick wouldn’t last long once Tren started her attack.

As if on cue, the berserker charged at Patrick, who cowered behind his shield. She easily batted him aside with her axe, not using the flat of the blade. Patrick yelled in pain as he was tossed across the room and fell in a heap, blood streaming from his wound.

“No…!” Spongebob watched helplessly as Tren came straight for the rest of them. His plan was already in ruins.

“Defend yourself, Azemar!” Liang shouted at him. “Remember how easy it was to fight the guards?”

“R- Right.” Spongebob raised his sword.

As Tren bore down on him, Liang came in from the side, her foot extended for a kick. Tren grabbed her ankle and tossed her to the side; Spongebob cringed as the black belt hit the wall with a _thud_ and didn’t move.

“Get out of the way!” Avior grabbed Spongebob’s arm and yanked him out of harm’s way as Tren charged past him.

The two spun and watched as Shipley barely managed to dodge and Tren hit the wall behind them with a heavy _smack_. Unperturbed, she turned around and began a second charge; this time, she went after Shipley. The thief tried to run to the side to avoid her, but she only took a second or two to get her bearings and came after him again. He raised his knife and swiped at her; a red line appeared on her side that started bleeding, but she swung her axe at Shipley, sending him flying away as well.

“Shipley!” Spongebob opened his inventory and produced a potion.

“What are you doing?” Avior asked.

“I need to get a potion to Shipley,” Spongebob quickly explained.

Avior sighed. “We don’t have—” He stopped when he saw Tren running towards the two of them. “Protect!”

The berserker ran smack into the translucent shield, sending her stumbling backwards. Spongebob took advantage of the distraction to run to Shipley’s side and give him the potion. When the crustacean drank the contents, Spongebob handed him two more bottles. “We need you back in the fight,” he said as he stood and grabbed another potion from the inventory. “I’m going to help Liang next.”

“We don’t have time,” Avior said as his shield faded. “Here she comes!”

“No…!” Spongebob took off at a run. He’d put away his sword so he could move faster, but it also proved to be a disadvantage, since he would have to take time to draw it again. There was just no time.

“Azemar!” Avior ran towards him from the opposite direction. “Don’t worry about Liang, save yourself!”

Spongebob slowed his pace. “I can’t, Avior, we need—” He cut himself short when he realised Tren was just feet away, raising her axe. He only had time to gasp before he was shoved to the side, sending him sprawling to the dirt floor.

He pushed himself up, forgetting the potion bottle that had flown from his hand. He looked up to see what had happened, and his mouth hung open as time seemed to slow to a crawl.

The huge axe went right through Avior’s middle, nearly slicing him in two.

The red mage fell to the floor, blood gushing from the wound.

The HP bar above his head emptied, displaying 0/350 above the black outline.

Spongebob’s eyes widened, and he did the only thing he could do as tears poured down his face.

“AVIOOOOOOOOOORRRR!!!”


	14. Chapter 14

Shipley made his way to Spongebob’s side. Ever since Avior’s HP had depleted, the knight had remained on his knees, sobbing and sobbing. Thankfully, Jayde had been watching the battle, and complied when Shipley asked him to summon a dragon only to keep Tren distracted. He knew how hard Spongebob had taken it when the previous dragon had finished off Garm.

He knelt at Spongebob’s side. “Azemar…”

The sea sponge didn’t move, though his body was shaking from his crying. Shipley reached out and gently touched his arm; Spongebob remained where he was.

“Azemar,” Shipley repeated. “We’ve still got a battle to fight. Ye need to heal up Liang and Thorstein and get back into the fight. I know it hurts, but—”

Spongebob yanked his helmet off his head, revealing the golden feather underneath. He tossed the helmet to the floor; the feather fluttered about a foot away. Before Shipley could ask about the feather, Spongebob finally spoke. “Some good luck charm,” he spat.

“Lad…”

“I loved him, Shipley, I really did.”

“I know ye did.”

“But now he’s dead… dead…” Spongebob raised his head to stare at the ceiling.

“Yes, but—”

Spongebob took a deep breath, opened his mouth and screamed. Shipley found himself backing away as the knight kept screaming, his voice echoing off the walls. The dragon that was fighting Tren paused, as did the berserker. Both turned in the direction of Spongebob, who only stopped long enough to catch his breath. He rose to his feet and drew his sword, facing Tren. Two gems shone brilliantly on the hilt of the sword, just above his hands: one red, one blue.

He held his sword high above his head, feeling power surging through the blade from the gems and pouring over him. His grief and love for the red mage overtook him along with the power; all he could see was the instant the love of his life was taken away from him.

Spongebob screamed again as he charged at Tren, who had returned to her normal size. The dragon disappeared as Spongebob approached, swinging his blade. Tren held up her axe, parrying the first blow.

“So now you’re taking the fight seriously,” she observed as she traded blows with the knight.

Spongebob didn’t respond, though tears streamed from his eyes again as he kept swinging.

“You have the makings of a berserker,” Tren remarked. “I could—”

“Shut up,” Spongebob growled as he continued fighting.

Shipley, meanwhile, located the potion Spongebob had dropped and took it to Liang, who was regaining consciousness. “Here, lassie, drink this.” He helped her consume the potion, watching her HP increase.

“Thanks, Shipley.” Liang sat up. “Is the battle over?”

“Nay.” Shipley wore a saddened expression.

“Wh- What happened?” Liang asked, her fear rising.

“We lost Avior.” Shipley gestured to the still body several yards away.

Liang gasped, seeing the empty HP bar hovering above Avior’s head. “Ya mean he’s…”

“Aye. The boy’s taken it real hard and is fightin’ with Tren now.” Shipley moved so Liang could see the action on the other side of the room.

Liang felt tears brimming in her eyes. “Poor Azemar… he loved Avior so much.” Her gaze drifted to the discarded helmet and feather a short distance away. “What’s that?” She pointed.

Shipley followed her gaze. “That be a good-luck charm the lad brought with ‘im. I dunno where he got it, but it ain’t brought him any luck in this fight.”

Liang slowly stood and limped over to the feather. “It sure is a pretty thing,” she commented, carefully picking it up.

Shipley followed. “Aye, it is, and a strange thing to use as a good-luck charm.”

The black belt carried the feather to Avior’s body. The blood had stopped, and his vacant eyes stared up into nothing. She knelt at his side and used a hand to close his eyes, then placed the feather on his chest. “I hope we can give ya a proper burial once the fight’s over,” she murmured as she rose.

Shipley placed a claw on her shoulder. “I hope so, too, lassie.”

A light began to shine from the feather, enveloping Avior’s body. Liang and Shipley watched, entranced, as the light grew brighter and brighter. After several moments, their eyes widened as they gasped in shock.

* * *

Spongebob parried another blow. He’d managed to chip away at Tren’s HP, but even in his grief-stricken rage, he wasn’t able to do much on his own. He briefly wondered why no one was helping him and was tempted to ask Jayde to bring forth another creature to end the battle. However, something kept him from issuing the command, and he continued fighting.

At last, his hand slipped when he was swinging, and his sword clattered to the ground. The two gems continued shining, but the split second the knight was open was all Tren needed. She swung her axe at him, catching him in the side and sending him flying. He waited for the sensation of hitting the wall, but instead he hit something soft that said, “Oof! You need to watch where you’re going, Azemar.”

Spongebob’s eyes flew open, his pain momentarily forgotten. He found himself gazing into the maroon eyes of his beloved. “A… Avior…!”

Avior smiled at him, love emanating from him in waves. “My beautiful knight,” he murmured.

“I… I thought you were…”

“Dead? I was. I don’t really know what happened, but—” He stopped when he spotted Tren charging at them. “Hold on a moment.” He held up a hand, the other still holding Spongebob. “Thunder!”

Bolts of lightning rained down from the ceiling, hitting Tren. The berserker shrieked as she was electrocuted.

Spongebob took a moment to study the raised arm nearby him. The sleeve was red, as usual, but now, instead of black gloves, there was a large white cuff on his wrist that was edged with gold. “Wh…”

“Hm?” Avior looked down at him. Spongebob realised his hat was different, too; this one was much bigger and curved back before ending in a point. The brim was wider as well, and a large white plume curled out from the hat band.

“Y… Your outfit…”

“This?” Avior looked down at himself. “I’m not entirely sure—” Again, he stopped when he realised Spongebob’s eyes were closed. It took him a moment to realise the knight had lost consciousness from blood loss, thanks to his injury from Tren.

Avior smiled. “Cure,” he said softly, holding his hand above the sea sponge. A white light surrounded Spongebob, and Avior watched as his HP rose. He turned to Liang, who had hung back with Shipley. “Do you mind watching him for a moment?”

Liang shook her head and held out her arms. “Ya know I’ll take good care of him, Avior.”

“I know you will.” Avior smiled again as he gently set Spongebob in her arms. He glanced at Shipley. “Make sure they’re protected, will you?”

“O’ course!”

“Thank you.” Avior turned back to Tren, who had mostly recovered from the paralysis status inflicted upon her from the earlier attack. “Jayde, will you help me, please?”

“Meow.” The snail, who was still behind a column, concentrated for a moment. His body was outlined in a blue light as a red dragon appeared beside Avior.

He gazed up at the dragon, who was about twice as tall as he. “Red, huh… How fitting.” He returned his attention to the berserker and raised his arms. “Please forgive me, Azemar,” he muttered before raising his voice. “Ice!”

Giant shards of ice shot up from the floor around Tren, surrounding her. She hefted her axe and began chopping away at the makeshift prison.

Avior kept his arms up. “Thunder!”

Lightning bolts shot down on Tren, who yelled again as she was hit.

He didn’t waste a moment. “Now, sir dragon, please finish it!”

* * *

Spongebob’s eyes fluttered open. He found himself in Avior’s arms, just like before. “A… Avior…” he murmured.

Avior held him close. “I’m so glad you’re awake, my love.”

Spongebob allowed himself a few moments to enjoy the closeness, then pushed himself back enough for him to gaze up at Avior. “How did you come back to life? And what happened to your clothes?”

“I don’t know how I came back to life, but I think my abilities have been upgraded.”

“Upgraded?”

Avior nodded. “Since you were unconscious, I looked it up in the guidebook. I’m a red wizard now, Azemar.”

“W… Wizard…?”

“Yes. Once a mage reaches a certain level of power, they can upgrade their abilities to a wizard. Their stats are increased, and their power is much higher, too.”

“Wow… How did that happen?”

“I’m not sure, but it might’ve been when I came back to life.”

“I’m just glad you’re still alive.” Spongebob wrapped his arms around Avior.

“Me too.”

“But wait…” Spongebob gazed up at him again. “What happened to the fight with Tren?”

“It’s over.”

Spongebob looked around. They were in the room where they’d fought Tren, but the only occupants were himself, Avior, Liang, Shipley, Patrick and Jayde. “Wh- Where’s Tren?” he asked, fearing the answer.

“She’s gone,” Avior replied.

“But—”

“Gone,” Avior repeated firmly. “It’s over. I wanted to make sure you were conscious before we went to the inn.”

“Oh.” Spongebob lowered his gaze. He had a hunch of what happened, but Avior refused to elaborate.

“Come on.” Avior stood, helping Spongebob to his feet. “We’re done here; anything else can be said at the inn.”

Spongebob felt the top of his head, which held no helmet. “W- Wait, Avior. I need to get my helmet.”

“I got it, Azemar.” Liang held out his helmet. “Ya don’t gotta worry about it.”

“Thanks.” Spongebob smiled at her as he set his helmet on his head. He’d grown so used to it being there, it felt strange when he wasn’t wearing it.

Avior took the lead out of the castle with Spongebob at his side. No one spoke as they exited into the gloomy town and searched for the inn. Spongebob’s mind was on the battle… at least, what he could recall whilst conscious. He remembered the glowing gems on his sword and glanced at the weapon resting in its sheath; someone must have returned it after he’d passed out. The blue and red gems were now softly glowing, though the turquoise one at the base was still dark. It appeared Avior’s guess about what the gems symbolised were correct: the red one represented Avior whilst the blue one represented Spongebob.

His memories of his fight with Tren after Avior had died were hazy, but he did remember the sword giving him additional power at the time. Was it from the gems? Shipley had mentioned before they were probably embedded in the hilt for their power, so even his assumptions about the gems were right.

However, there was still the question about the third gem. The power of the other two gems apparently activated when Spongebob was in a grief-stricken rage, and he wondered if it was the only way for the gems to work. It’d be a terrible price to pay if it were so.

After a while, the group located the inn and entered; Spongebob paid the fee and they made their way down the short hall to the room. Patrick, Liang and Shipley promptly collapsed on the beds in their usual locations, whilst Jayde slithered up to the top of the headboard of the fourth bed. Avior waited for Spongebob to climb into bed – both their HP levels were incredibly low – but the knight turned to face him.

He stepped closer to Avior and took his gloved tentacles into his hands. “Avior,” he murmured. “My beloved wizard…”

Avior smiled at him. “I’m very sorry you had to go through something so horrific,” he said softly. “I hadn’t intended to lose all my HP then, but I didn’t want you to do so, either.”

Spongebob’s eyes filled with tears. “I was so scared I’d lost you forever, Avior. It’s a miracle you’ve come back to me.”

“I’ll never leave you, my love.” Avior pulled him close and brought their lips together.

Spongebob felt as though he could lose himself in Avior’s love forever. He knew, in that moment, he never wanted to leave this world. He would stay in the game called _Iron and Sorcery_ for the rest of his life, even though it meant he’d never flip another Krabby Patty again. As long as he could stay with Avior, he’d give up everything.

He felt tears streaming down his cheeks at this revelation, and knew they were tears of happiness, of love and of loss. He was saying goodbye to his life in Bikini Bottom and embracing his new life with the red wizard who’d captured his heart… and he couldn’t have been any happier. He knew he’d still have to complete the game so Patrick could return – the pink starfish wouldn’t be happy staying in this world – but he would stay behind and live out his days within the game.

For now, he kept all these thoughts to himself, though he decided once Zurnas was defeated and Patrick went back home, he’d tell Avior about their existence in the game. After all, he’d have the rest of his life to explain the concept.

The two pulled apart after what felt like ages. Avior used a hand to brush away some of Spongebob’s tears. “Those were quite a lot of emotions you had,” he remarked, his voice still soft.

“Y- Yeah… I’ll tell you about it later. I’m still just so happy you’re alive.”

“I’m happy I’m alive, too. I couldn’t bear to be apart from you, my precious knight.” He nodded at the vacant bed. “We should get some rest, though; it’s been a long day.”

“Right.” Spongebob let the red wizard lead him to the bed, where they both climbed in and held each other in their arms once again. “I love you so much, Avior,” the knight said softly as he felt the tug of sleep.

“I love you too, Azemar.” Avior gently kissed his forehead before they both drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Early the next morning, Spongebob woke before Avior. His arms were still around the red wizard, so he contented himself with gazing at Avior until he woke up. He remembered what he’d decided yesterday and whilst it was a bit of a shock, he knew he still stood by his decision. It would be hard knowing he was giving up his dream job and the life he’d been content with, but if he couldn’t have Avior with him, he was willing to leave his old life behind.

After a short wait, Avior’s eyes opened, and Spongebob smiled. “Good morning, Avior,” he murmured.

“Good morning, Azemar.”

“Shall we get some breakfast?”

“Sure.”

The two untangled themselves from each other and climbed out of bed. A quick glance at the other beds showed the other party members were still sleeping. Spongebob hiked an eyebrow but kept quiet; yesterday had been quite strenuous and everyone aside from Jayde had been badly hurt. He looked at the headboard of his own bed and spotted the snail was awake, but quiet.

Spongebob patted his shell. It helped him with the adjustment to his new life here knowing there was a snail who looked identical to Gary and seemed to like him about the same as his beloved pet. He knew he’d have to have a talk with Jayde after the battle with Zurnas and see if the beastmaster would continue to accompany him.

Avior led the way out of the inn, though Spongebob caught up to him once they stepped outside. They walked together down the dark street; thankfully there was some sunshine that took away a little of the gloom. As they walked, Spongebob gazed at Avior’s new outfit: He already knew about the larger hat, but instead of his simple red-and-gold outfit, the red wizard now wore a more elaborate outfit of crimson and white, and his cloak was now more like a cape that fluttered behind him whilst he walked. His boots were topped with a white cuff and were now brown in colour.

“I can still hardly believe you’re a red wizard now,” Spongebob remarked.

“I know.” Avior held up his gloved tentacles and gazed at them for a moment. “It feels surreal, but I know there’s a greater magic power within me. I seem to have gained a few new spells as well.”

“Oh?”

“That’s right, you were unconscious when I’d used them.” Avior lowered his arms. “I can do more attack spells than Fire; I’d used Thunder and Ice during the fight.”

“Wow, I bet that’ll come in handy.” Spongebob grinned. “Well, it was already handy yesterday, but—”

He was cut off when Avior held out an arm in front of him and stopped, causing the former to halt as well. “Avior, what—”

“Shh.” The red wizard glanced from side to side before speaking in a lowered voice. “I think we’re being followed.”

A chill crept up Spongebob and he tried not to panic. Who could be following them, and why? Was it because they’d defeated Tren?

Avior sensed the knight’s panic and lowered his arm. “Keep walking,” he muttered, “and I’ll see if I can figure out who it is.”

Spongebob gave short nod, not wanting to give away to their mysterious follower that they knew about them. He did as he was told, resuming his pace alongside Avior. The red wizard’s face was creased in concentration, but his stride revealed nothing to anyone behind them.

They walked for a few more yards before Avior suddenly stopped, and Spongebob heard an “Oof!” as someone bumped into the former from behind.

Spongebob spun to see who was there at the same instant Avior reached out a hand and grabbed the person by the arm. Both gasped at the sight of the newcomer. He looked like Spongebob, though his skin was the same colour as Avior's and he didn't have buck teeth. His eyes were an unusual dark turquoise colour. He wore the red-and-gold outfit of a red mage, with the addition of a long white feather tucked into the hat band. His arms ended in gloved tentacles, but he only had two legs, the feet of which were covered with black boots. Hanging from his gold belt was a sword that looked suspiciously familiar. Hovering above his head were stats, which Spongebob quickly read:

 _Armin_  
HP: 150/150 MP: 25/25  
LV 20

"Wh... Who are you?" Avior was the first to find his voice; thankfully, he kept his grip on the person's arm.

"My name is Armin," the newcomer replied. His voice sounded like a deeper version of Spongebob's.

"What..." Avior tried speaking again.

"Can you let go of me, please?" Armin asked; Avior complied, too shocked to do anything else. "Thank you. Now, I know you're asking yourself a lot of questions, and I'll answer them." He turned his gaze to Spongebob and smiled. "I'm just glad I can finally meet you, Dad."

Spongebob thought his jaw would hit the ground. "D- D- D- D- D-"

Armin nodded. "Yes, Dad." He looked at Avior. "You're also my father, though I'd just seen you a few moments ago."

Avior's eyes widened. "Wh... What?!"

"I suppose I should explain myself." Armin let out a sigh. "I come from several years in the future. Time travel's not possible right now, but after Zurnas is vanquished, several wizards get together and begin researching time travel. I'm one of the first experiments." He gave a smug look. "I was able to do this because my father - Avior, that is - was one of the wizards who started the research. I told him I wanted to go back in time and see my other father, and he agreed to let me do so."

Spongebob blinked a few times. "B- But... I don't..."

Armin smiled patiently. "You _are_ my father, Azemar; I'm sure you can see how much I look like you." He spread his arms wide. "After you and Avior go to Lastfield, you decide you want to leave behind a bit of your legacy, if you will, since you knew you'd have to leave once Zurnas was defeated."

"But how?" Avior asked.

"Simple. Azemar reproduces by himself, right? While he reproduces that way, you, Avior, add your magic to the process, and, well... here I am." He smiled again.

Spongebob could feel his entire face burning, and he covered his mouth with his hands as he gazed at Avior, who was also blushing furiously. The sea sponge had never considered such a thing, and it was a tremendous shock to know he did something like that with Avior. Sure, he loved the red wizard dearly, but this...?

"I know it's a surprise to hear," Armin said, practically reading their thoughts, "but it's the truth. I even have proof that I'm your son." He unsheathed his sword and held out the hilt.

Spongebob gasped a second time as he recognised the three gemstones embedded in the hilt: a dark blue and dark red one on either side, and a dark turquoise one at the base. He knew his own sword was in its sheath at his side, so it was impossible for Armin to have stolen it.

Wait...

He looked at the red mage again. Dark turquoise eyes gazed at him evenly. "Y- You... You're the third gem..."

Armin nodded. "Yes. The gems represent our eye colours: the maroon one for Avior, the azure one for Azemar and the turquoise one for me." He returned his sword to its sheath. "In the future, Avior gave me your sword, Azemar, because it was a memento of your time here and he didn't want me to share his weakness with swords. So whilst I'm a red mage, I fight with my dad's sword."

Spongebob returned his gaze to the red wizard. "A... Avior... he's really..."

Avior nodded, though his expression was still dumbfounded. "He's our... son."

Armin also nodded. "That I am. I'm glad the time travel experiment was a success, since I—"

He was cut off when Spongebob wrapped his arms around him in a hug. "I can't believe it," the knight murmured, tears blurring his vision, "but you really... really are my son."

Armin returned the embrace. "Yes, Dad, I am."

They both felt another set of arms around them, and Spongebob looked up to see Avior had joined them. "It's incredible," the red wizard said, "absolutely incredible. I never would have thought Azemar and I would sire a child together, but you're proof that we did... or rather, we will.”

Armin smiled at his father. “That’s one thing you’d mentioned in my time, that you’d never thought you’d have a child with anyone.” He looked at Spongebob. “But Dad changed everything for you… both of you.”

Spongebob held Armin at arm’s length and carefully looked him over. He could see so much of himself, as well as Avior, in the red mage. “This is just amazing,” he marvelled. “I actually have a son.” He paused. “Wait… how old are you, Armin?”

“Fifteen.”

“So you’re from fifteen years in the future?” Avior asked.

“Closer to sixteen years, but yes.” Armin nodded.

Avior grew thoughtful. “I actually let you travel through time when you’re only fifteen? Are you _sure_ that’s right?”

Spongebob was a bit puzzled by the question, but realised Armin’s age was a bit on the young side to do something as dangerous as time travelling.

“Well, initially, you told me no,” Armin admitted. “You were going to do it yourself because you wanted a chance to see Dad again. But I begged and pleaded, since I’d never even seen Dad at all. We talked about it for a bit, and you finally agreed to let me go, but I have to return once Zurnas is defeated.”

“How long is that?” Spongebob asked.

“Uh… I can’t really say. I’m already altering the future just by being here and telling you two that I’ll be born very soon.” Armin looked a bit uncomfortable. “I was warned not to tell you guys a whole lot, but since I came not too long before I’m born, I could go ahead and say you’re both my fathers.”

“It’s okay,” Spongebob assured him. “I understand the need to keep a lot of the information to yourself. But can I ask why you decided to become a red mage and not a knight?”

Armin nodded. “You’re not here when I was old enough to decide which path to take, and Father already knows… er, well, he will know.” He took a deep breath. “To be honest, I really wanted to do both – I wanted to be a knight who could do both white and black magic. I even asked Father if it was possible, and he said it wasn’t. It’s already difficult having the magical abilities to become a red mage, and it would just about be impossible to throw the duties of a knight on top of it.

“So I had to choose one. Father had noticed I’d shown an aptitude towards magic, and it was his suggestion that I become a red mage but carry a weapon. He’d had to do so himself during his journey with Dad, and it was a hard adjustment since he was so used to only doing magic. But Dad had told him to use a weapon as well, so his MP would last longer, and he just never got the hang of using a weapon.”

Avior stole a glance at Spongebob. “I, er, guess that answers the question of me ever improving at using my sword.”

Spongebob was speechless. If he’d had any doubts at all about whether Armin was telling the truth about being from the future, those doubts were cleared. The conversation he’d had with Avior was only between the two of them; it was impossible for anyone else to have known why the red wizard was given a sword.

“You never gave up trying, Father,” Armin replied. “But you didn’t want me to have the same problem, so you gave me Dad’s sword and made sure I learnt how to effectively use it. I haven’t been able to get the gems to glow, but it’s probably because Dad’s not in my time.”

Spongebob opened his mouth to say something but heard a familiar voice in the distance.

“Hey, y’all!” Liang called out as she, Shipley and Patrick approached. “Whatcha’ doin’?”

Spongebob gasped as he spun around and faced his friends. He’d completely forgotten they were still at the inn; naturally, they’d wake up at some point and come out to get some breakfast.

The black belt came to a stop in front of Spongebob. “Who’s that fella with ya?” She craned her neck to get a better look at Armin, who’d partially hidden himself behind Spongebob.

“Oh, he’s, uh… er…” The sea sponge found it hard to talk. How in the world could he tell his friends that he had a son in the future?

“Why don’t we explain over breakfast?” Avior offered.

Liang smiled. “Sounds good to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a profile sheet for Avior's wizard design: [click/tap here](https://sta.sh/01hvb0hpzw5)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Armin's profile sheet: [click/tap here](https://sta.sh/07nbllxi7yd)

“Wow, this is great!” Armin grinned. “It’s one thing to finally meet Dad, but I didn’t think I’d get to see the entire group.”

The seven of them were seated at a table in the tavern – Jayde had joined them shortly before they’d headed for the tavern – and were eating breakfast, aside from Armin, who’d said he’d eaten shortly before leaving his time.

“What do ya mean by ‘your time’?” Liang asked. “And who’s your paw?”

“Oh! I should introduce myself. My name’s Armin, and I come from the future.”

Shipley gave him a sideways look. “Future?”

“Yes, almost sixteen years in the future. Time travel isn’t possible right now, but in fifteen years, the most powerful wizards in the land discover how to travel through time.”

“So who didja mean when you said ‘Dad’ earlier?” Liang seemed to brace herself for the answer; it was obvious the red mage looked remarkably similar to Spongebob, but there were a few other noticeable differences as well.

Armin gestured to Spongebob on his right. “Him.” He pointed to his left and added, “And he’s my father.”

The others were speechless. Liang was the first to speak up after several moments. “W- Wait, ya have _two_ paws?”

Armin nodded. “Yeah, though I’ve never met Dad before now.”

“He means me,” Spongebob added.

Shipley was next to find his voice. “How is that even possible?”

The red mage gave the same explanation as before; listening to it a second time, Spongebob realised it sounded rather far-fetched. His method of reproduction was correct, but it was the magic element that had thrown him for a loop. How was it possible for magic to play a role in what was essentially childbirth? He’d thought magic in the game consisted of offensive and defensive attacks when fighting, which included Jayde’s ability to summon powerful creatures. Avior had previously shown he could sense magic, but even that had no bearing on reproduction. He made a mental note to ask Avior, or perhaps Armin as well, about it later.

When Armin finished, Liang and Shipley stared at the boy for several moments. Patrick had kept quiet the entire time, though it was partially because he was more focused on eating, and partially because he didn’t understand the explanation of how Spongebob and Avior could both father a child.

This time, Shipley was the first to speak. “Hold it just a minute, child. How do we know you ain’t lyin’ to us?”

“This is how.” Armin unsheathed his sword and held up the hilt, just as before. This time, however, Spongebob also drew his sword and showed his hilt with the glowing gems.

Shipley’s eyes widened for a moment, then he shook his head. “How do we know that ain’t just a cheap copy?”

“Because I’m the only one with the sword,” Spongebob replied, returning his to its sheath, “and we’re the only ones who are familiar with its design.”

“And mine is Dad’s sword from fifteen years in the future,” Armin added. “Father gave it to me so I could learn how to fight with both magic and a sword.”

Liang slowly shook her head. “I just can’t believe it… y’all havin’ a kid in the future.”

Spongebob shrugged helplessly. “Armin’s proof that we will, though I’ll admit I hadn’t thought of it before he came here.”

“Perhaps he’s the reason why we have a child,” Avior mused aloud. “We don’t think of it until he comes, and because of that, we decide to have one, and it’s Armin. It’s a bit of a paradox, but it makes sense.”

Spongebob scratched his head. “I… think I get it.”

“Wait, so you mean if I hadn’t come to the past, you wouldn’t have had a child and I wouldn’t exist?” Armin’s eyes widened.

“Probably,” Avior replied, “though like I said, it’s a paradox. Your appearance at this time is what sets the gears in motion for you to come into existence. To put it simply, you caused your own birth.”

“…Huh.” Armin looked just as lost as Spongebob, both wearing identical expressions.

“Yep, they’re related,” Liang said, trying not to laugh.

Avior glanced at the two and hid a smile. “You’re right, Liang, Armin’s definitely Azemar’s son.”

“What do you mean?” Spongebob asked.

Avior shook his head. “He’s so much like you, Azemar.”

“He’s also a lot like you,” Spongebob pointed out.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Armin put in. “I’d like to think I take after both my fathers.”

Avior placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “That you do, Armin, and that makes me very happy.”

“Me, too.” Spongebob put his hand on the mage’s other shoulder. “I know you’re from the future, but I couldn’t be happier to know you’re my son. I’m sure you’ve made Avior immensely proud of you in your time.”

“Uh, yeah.” Armin’s smile was forced.

“Hey, Armin,” Liang said, “do y’all know what happened to the rest of us in the future?”

The young mage looked thoughtful. “Father hasn’t spoken of them… er, you, much recently, since the preparations for the time travel test were in the final stages and it occupied a lot of his thoughts the past few weeks. I remember he’d said Shipley went back to Roserock after Zurnas was defeated, since that’s what he wanted to do.”

“Aye.” Shipley nodded. “I ain’t much of the adventurin’ type, anyway.”

“And Thorstein left with Dad, so I don’t know what he did after that.” He paused. “Jayde stayed with me and Father, but he… oh, wait, I shouldn’t say anything more about that.” Armin glanced at the snail, who was on the edge of the table next to Spongebob. “Sorry, Jayde.”

“Meow.”

Armin smiled. “I’m glad you understand. I’ve enjoyed talking with you in my time; you have a lot of knowledge to share.”

Jayde looked proud of himself. “Meow, meow meow.”

Spongebob’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Meow.”

“See, Dad?” Armin’s smile became a grin. “Jayde’s really smart and tells good stories, too.”

“Wow.” Spongebob was impressed.

“What about me, Armin?” Liang asked.

“Hm… what did Father say…? I think he said you’d gone on your own journey, but I don’t remember when or for how long. He’d told me you’d visited a few times when I was a baby, but I have no memory of it since I was too young.”

Spongebob thought over what he’d been told. “You mean aside from Jayde, it’s just been you and Avior for fifteen years?”

Armin nodded. “Towards the end of the development of the time travel experiment, other wizards came to visit to work with Father, but yeah, for almost my entire life, it’s just been me, Father and Jayde.”

The group fell silent. “Why didn’t anyone visit?” Spongebob finally asked.

Armin shrugged. “You and Thorstein returned to your homeland, Dad, remember? Shipley only stuck around long enough to make sure Zurnas was defeated, then he returned to Roserock. That just leaves Liang, who visited a little.”

“Why didn’t I stick around longer?” Liang asked.

“Father said you were terribly upset that Dad left, since you’d wanted to keep journeying with him. But Father told you since he had a baby, he had no intention of travelling anymore, and was sure Dad would have thought the same. So after a while, you left and Father never saw you again.”

Liang looked downcast. “I… I didn’t know that…” She gazed at Spongebob. “So ya really go back to your homeland after the black wizard’s defeated? And ya don’t let me go with ya?”

“I, er… I don’t know, Liang,” Spongebob replied. “This all happens in the future, so I can’t say.”

“Hold on a moment.” Shipley held up a claw. “Ye say the lad ‘n the Viking go back to their homeland, but they don’t bring you ‘n the wizard along?” Armin nodded. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” Armin admitted. “Father never told me. He didn’t even say the name of the land Dad comes from.”

Five sets of eyes fell on Spongebob and Patrick. “That’s right,” Shipley said. “We don’t know the name of the land ye two hail from. But since ye’re both here, one of ye can tell us.”

Spongebob gulped. “Uhh…”

“Ya don’t wanna deprive your own son of that lil’ bit of knowledge, do ya?” Liang pointed out, gesturing to Armin.

The sea sponge glanced at Avior, who was silently watching him. He knew he’d told the red wizard he’d come from a different world, not land, but hadn’t said the name of the world, nor the town he’d originally lived in.

“Bikini Bottom.”

Spongebob gasped and turned to Patrick. The others also focused their attention on the starfish. Armin raised an eyebrow. “Bikini… Bottom?”

“Yeah,” Patrick replied. “That’s where we live.”

“Pat—er, Thorstein, shh!”

“What?” Patrick shrugged. “They wanted to know.”

“Is that true?” Avior asked calmly.

Spongebob nodded, knowing it was too late to hide the truth. “Yeah… that’s the name of the place where we live, Bikini Bottom.”

“That’s an unusual name,” Armin commented. “Then again, Father did say he had a feeling the name was pretty strange.”

The knight breathed a sigh of relief. He hoped no one would ask him any further questions about his hometown, and to his further relief, no one did.

“What should we do now?” Liang asked, noting that everyone had finished their breakfast.

“Tren be defeated,” Shipley replied, “and we’re fully healed, so I say we go to the next town.”

“Sounds good to me.” Liang turned to the trio seated across from her. “What do ya say?”

“That was the original plan,” Avior replied, “since none of us liked being in Ravenwood. I think we should stick with that plan. Azemar?”

“I agree,” Spongebob said, pulling out his guidebook. “Let me see where we go next…”

“The closest town is Stormwick,” Armin replied.

Spongebob gaped at him. “H- How do you know?”

“Father told me about it,” Armin explained. “He’s told me about the entire journey that he went on with you, Dad, and all the others who travelled with you. So I know the next stop is Stormwick.”

“Is that where Zurnas’ next servant lives?” Spongebob asked.

“No, but there’s a really neat place just outside the town called Starhill. If you’re at the top of the hill when night falls, you’ll get the best view of the stars in the entire land. I’ve never been there, but Father told me the view is absolutely amazing.”

“Then we’ll go there next,” Spongebob stated. “Do you know how far away it is?”

“Er… I think a couple of days.”

Spongebob closed the guidebook. “Alright, let’s stock up on potions and Ethers, and head off to Stormwick.”

* * *

Within an hour, the party left Ravenwood, travelling east. Since Armin wasn’t familiar with the area, Spongebob consulted the maps in his guidebook to determine which way they needed to travel. He, Avior and Armin took the lead together.

“By the way,” Avior said whilst they walked, “where do you and I live after the black wizard is defeated?”

“Irongrove.”

“Really?” Spongebob gave his son an incredulous look.

Avior smiled to himself. “How fitting,” he softly commented.

“Why fitting?” Spongebob turned his confused gaze to the red wizard.

Avior kept smiling as he kept his own gaze focused straight ahead. “It’s the town where I really wanted to do something with you, but I was too scared to do so at the time.”

“What’s that?”

“You remember how Irongrove has a bakery?”

“Yeah.” Spongebob recalled Liang’s explanation of the various places to visit in Irongrove, but he never went to the bakery. His mind had been preoccupied with the stranger who’d been so helpful to him the past several days and had tried to find clues on the potion bottle that was gifted to him the previous night. He now knew the stranger was Avior, and the strange feelings he’d experienced during that time was the beginning of their connection. He was also sure he’d started falling in love with the red wizard at the time, though when Liang had teased him about it, he quickly dismissed the thought.

A bakery was the last thing on his mind.

“When we were there, I’d wanted to take you there,” Avior explained. “Not just at any time, but first thing in the morning when the bakers take the bread out of the ovens and start making cookies and pies and other sweets. When the air around the bakery is full of the scent of freshly baked bread, and I’d buy a loaf that was still warm and share it with you. I’d really wanted to do that at the time but couldn’t work up the courage to invite you to accompany me.”

Spongebob felt the heat rushing to his cheeks. The way Avior had worded it, he could easily picture the scene and knew he, too, desired to be in Irongrove with him and experience the sensation of visiting the bakery in the early morning and try a still-warm loaf of bread with Avior whilst the aroma of freshly-baked bread wreathed them.

Armin smiled. “That’s exactly how Father worded it when he told me about it,” he said. “It broke his heart that he never got the chance to have that moment with Dad, but he’d take me there most mornings so I could experience it myself.” He looked a bit embarrassed as he added, “The first time Father told me about it, we were standing outside the bakery with our bread, and I started crying. He said—”

“Why did you cry?” Spongebob interrupted.

“Because I’d not thought about why we went there so often, and why Father always looked so sad whilst we were there. I think I was eight years old before I finally thought to ask him about it, and he told me.” Armin lowered his gaze. “I cried because I’d finally started to get an idea of how much pain Father was in; he was – and still is – completely heartbroken at losing Dad. He loves you so much, Dad… even fifteen years after you left, he still loves you just as much as he did the day you had to return to Bikini Bottom.”

Spongebob sniffled, tears blurring his vision. It took him a moment to realise the group had stopped walking; when he came to a halt, he turned to gaze at the red wizard. “Avior…”

In a few short strides, Avior was at his side, holding him close. Spongebob tried his best to hold back his tears but felt a few slipping down his cheeks. “I had said it would break my heart if you left, Azemar,” the red wizard murmured. “It really will break, as you can see.”

“I… I…” Spongebob had wanted to keep it secret for a while longer, but knew he couldn’t, not anymore. “I’m not leaving.”

The group stared at him in stunned silence.

“Azemar…” Liang was the first to speak. “Are ya sure that’s what ya wanna do? When I first met ya, you were cryin’ your heart out to go home. Now you’re changin’ your mind?”

Spongebob nodded, gazing deep into Avior’s eyes. “You’ve changed my mind, my dear red wizard, my love. Just as you would be heartbroken if I left, I’d also be heartbroken if I have to leave you. I don’t want to go back to Bikini Bottom if you can’t come with me. I’d rather stay here and raise our son together. I love you so, so much, Avior.”

Avior smiled. “I love you too, Azemar, and I would be so happy if you stayed and raised Armin together with me. I’ll take you to Irongrove and we can enjoy the bakery there together.”

A sniffle from nearby distracted them, and they turned to see Armin trying his hardest not to cry. They both held out an arm and brought him in close as well. “I want you to stay, too, Dad,” Armin said. “I know that’s the only thing that would make Father happy in my time as well. He loves me a lot, but he… The reason the whole time-travel research started was because Father wanted to have a second chance to see you again, Dad. That’s why he was going to be the one to come back fifteen years into the past, so he could see you and remember how happy he’d once been.”

Avior took a moment to gaze at the two people who had brought him the most happiness: the love of his life and the son they would sire soon. He knew right away how his future self would feel if he could come back to this moment. “Please stay, Azemar,” he said softly, holding both the knight and their son as close as possible.

“I will, Avior,” Spongebob replied. “I’ll never leave you.”

* * *

That evening, the party settled around the fire. At Ravenwood, Spongebob had made sure to purchase an extra sleeping bag for Armin, since he didn’t have one. They, along with Avior, settled into their sleeping bags for the night. It was still a bit surreal to know he would be a father very soon but knowing his child would turn out the be the young man lying beside him was a great comfort. Armin was a good kid who knew he was greatly loved by both his fathers in his past, as well as Avior in his present. Spongebob also knew if he was with them in fifteen years, he’d still love Avior and their son just as much as he did now.

He closed his eyes, content with all the love he could feel from the red wizard. Ever since they’d first met Armin, Spongebob hadn’t felt anything other than love coming from Avior, and it was a great feeling, knowing the love was only for him and their son.

He was close to drifting off to sleep when he heard hushed voices muttering nearby. He opened his eyes halfway and tried to listen. The voices belonged to Liang and Shipley, with an added remark here and there from Patrick.

Spongebob’s eyes opened the rest of the way and he started to sit up as he looked at Avior. The red wizard’s eyes were open as he waved for Spongebob to lay back down. The sea sponge obeyed, watching Avior as they listened. Between the two of them, Armin, who’d started to doze, awoke but stayed put as he also listened.

“…Think we should?” Liang’s voice drifted to their ears.

“Aye, lassie,” Shipley quietly replied. “The way they are now, there ain’t no sense in continuin’ this quest. We should end it now and leave the black wizard to rule.”

“But what will happen to ya if he finds out you betrayed him?” Liang asked.

“I’ll deal with it when the time comes. Don’t ye worry about ol’ Shipley, lassie.”

“What about me?” Patrick asked. “I wanna go home.”

“We’ll think of a way, Thorstein,” Liang assured him. “We might hafta find the most powerful wizards in the land, but we’ll get ya back home as soon as we figure out a way.”

Spongebob felt dread creeping over him. Half of his party wanted to end their quest. In a way, he was grateful they were thinking of him and Avior, but at the same time, he still wanted to see the quest through to its end.

“What should we do?” he whispered to Avior.

“They have a point,” the red wizard whispered back. “You don’t want to leave this land, and if you defeat Zurnas, you may have to.”

Spongebob hesitated, uncertain.

“Tell them the truth.”

He moved his gaze to Armin, who was lying on his back but looking at him. “Armin…”

“You should tell them the truth, Dad,” Armin repeated softly. “Let them know if you want them to end the quest or not. Don’t keep stuff from them; they’re your friends.”

“You’re right.” Spongebob pushed himself up to a sitting position; the movement caught the others’ attention and they fell silent. “I couldn’t help but overhear what you were saying,” he told them.

Liang and Shipley wore guilty looks. “Azemar,” Liang began. “We were just—”

“I know you have my best interests in mind,” Spongebob interrupted, “but we still need to finish this quest. Thorstein needs to go home, and defeating Zurnas is the only possibility we know to get him home. We also can’t let Zurnas continue his rule over the land; we’re trying to restore peace, remember? It doesn’t matter where we go if we still have to answer to Zurnas. I’d rather live with Avior in a peaceful land, anyway, so we can raise our son without having to worry about anything bad happening to him or us.”

“I agree.” Avior also sat up. “I want to make sure there’s peace before we try to raise a child, and I want to help make sure Thorstein returns home quickly and safely.”

Liang nodded. “I understand where y’all are comin’ from, but we just wanted ya to be happy. There ain’t much sense in continuin’ when the reason we were doin’ it in the first place was to get Azemar and Thorstein home, and Azemar wants to stay. But ya convinced me to keep goin’ with the quest; we still need to restore peace to the land and get Thorstein home.”

“Ain’t there still a chance the lad will have to go home, too?” Shipley pointed out.

“We’ll worry about it when the time comes,” Spongebob answered. “I’ll try everything in my power to stay, but I’m not going to worry about it right now. You’ve all told me to not focus on the what-ifs and maybes, but to just take each day as it comes. We all need to do that now.”

“You’re right, Azemar,” Liang said. “Let’s get some shut-eye, and we’ll tackle each day as they come.”

* * *

They reached Stormwick the following evening. As Liang, Shipley, Patrick and Jayde went off to locate the tavern and inn, Armin took hold of his fathers’ hands and led them to a hill close to the town gates.

“Hurry, we’re losing daylight quickly,” the young mage urged them.

They climbed the hill, which Armin had said was the Starhill he’d previously mentioned. When they reached the summit, Armin directed his fathers to sit on either side of him and keep their eyes on the sky. The last of the daylight faded, and a few stars began twinkling in the dusky colours of night.

As they watched, more and more stars appeared as the sky continued to darken. Each star glittered and twinkled, seeming to have their unique, individual personalities. Soon the sky seemed to be completely covered in shining stars; it was easy to get lost in the beauty of the night.

“Wow,” Spongebob breathed. “It feels like I could reach out and touch the stars.”

“I know what you mean,” Avior said. “I’ve looked at the stars many times over the years, but I’ve never felt as close to them as I do now.”

The only one who wasn’t looking at the sky was Armin, who instead gazed at Spongebob. He felt his sorrow rising within him, making him want to cry. He couldn’t bear to tell them he’d lied the previous day; he had been on Starhill before. He tried his best to force back the guilt and sorrow, not wanting either of his dads to see what he truly felt.

Spongebob put an arm around his son. “Thank you for showing this to us, Armin.”

Avior nodded before winding his arm around the young mage as well. “This is truly an amazing sight, and I’m glad the three of us can see it together.”

“Um… y- yeah.”

Spongebob tore his gaze from the sky to look at Armin. “What’s wrong?”

The red mage shook his head. “It’s nothing. I’m glad I can be here with both my fathers and enjoy this wondrous sight.”

Spongebob was certain Armin was hiding something, but he knew better than to pursue it. Besides, the scene was far too peaceful to try to bring up anything negative; he was much happier gazing at the stars with the two people he loved more than anything in the entire world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a sketch I drew based on the last scene of the chapter: [click/tap here](https://sta.sh/0qs3e0d2ne5) I'll eventually upload it to Twitter and update the link


	16. Chapter 16

The next morning, the party ate breakfast at the tavern before reconvening at the inn to discuss their next steps. Although the night had been clear, it was a dreary morning as rain pattered on the roof and windows; the entire town looked grey.

Spongebob tried to ignore this as he checked his guidebook. “Hm… The next town is Whiteland,” he reported. “It’s pretty far from here, too.”

“Do ya know anything ‘bout Whiteland?” Liang asked Shipley.

“The black wizard’s got a servant out there,” the crustacean replied, “but I ain’t met ‘em. I think his name be Skels.”

“Skels…” Spongebob thumbed through the pages, then pointed at one of them. “Yes, it’s Skels. He’s a dragoon whose level is sixty-three. He has a dragon servant named Ogara the Swift, but that’s all the information it has on the dragon.” He grew thoughtful. “A dragoon, huh…”

“They’re some of the most powerful warriors in the land,” Avior said. “Since there are other, much larger lands with better opportunities for dragoons to hone their powers, there aren’t many of them here. Dragoons wield spears and have dangerous jumping attacks. Skels may well be our most difficult battle yet.”

“I don’t think we can rely on Jayde to end the battle quickly this time, either,” Spongebob added. “It’d be hard to have a dragon fighting a dragoon _and_ another dragon. Can you summon any other creatures besides dragons, Jayde?”

“Meow,” the snail replied. “Meow, meow.”

Spongebob nodded. “I had a feeling dragons were your specialty, but we’ll need something else for this fight.” He turned to the others. “We need to come up with a strategy to beat Skels. We also shouldn’t try to rely on one person, since it’s too easy for the enemy to incapacitate them. That’s what happened during the last battle against Tren.”

“A dragoon has a spear and jump attacks,” Liang pondered aloud, “and Skels has a dragon servant. Do ya think there’ll be guards again?”

Avior shook his head. “With a dragon as a servant, it’d be nearly impossible to keep guards, especially if there’s little control exercised over the dragon.”

“Ooh, good point.” Liang winced, recalling the dragons who’d ended the previous two battles for them.

“So no guards,” Spongebob said, “but there’s a dragon instead. Do you think we should go for the dragon first?”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Avior replied. “If left unchecked during the battle, one or more of us could end up as the dragon’s snack.”

At that, Spongebob was overcome with a horrific thought. He pushed it aside and declared, “First things first: Armin doesn’t join us for the battle.”

“What?!” Armin gaped at his dad.

“I agree,” Avior added. “It’s too much of a risk.”

The red mage turned to his other parent. “B- But Father… Dad…”

Spongebob shook his head resolutely. “I don’t want to put you in that kind of danger,” he explained. “There’s too great of a chance something very bad could happen to any of us, and I don’t want it to be you.”

“I know the future me wouldn’t forgive us if you couldn’t return to him,” Avior added. “Please understand, Armin. Maybe after you go back to your time, you could fight in battles there, and—”

“You don’t get it!” Armin shoved his chair back and leapt to his feet. “There _are_ no battles, Father; they all ended when the black wizard was defeated. That’s why my level’s so low; there aren’t any battles to fight. There aren’t even monsters between towns anymore. I have no way to get stronger in my time!” He ran out the door.

Spongebob also stood. “Armin, wait!” He glanced at Avior, who gave a small nod, then dashed out of the room after his son.

He exited the inn and was immediately drenched with rain. He squinted through the low visibility and caught sight of a figure heading away. He took off in that direction, trying his best to keep the figure in sight. As he started catching up, he could tell the figure’s shape looked much like his own, and he knew it was Armin.

He wiped the rainwater streaming into his eyes and sped up. Little by little, he gained ground on the mage, but it was getting harder and harder to see. Each time the boy turned a corner, the knight lost a bit of distance when he tried not to fall as he took the same corner.

After a few minutes of chasing, he spotted Armin taking a turn too fast and slipping in a puddle. He crashed to the ground, though Spongebob was too far away to hear anything. It didn’t take long for him to catch up and kneel beside his son.

Armin laid on his side halfway in a puddle. His mage’s hat was on the road about a foot away. The boy panted for air but otherwise stayed quiet. Spongebob took a minute to catch his breath as he checked Armin for injuries. He seemed unhurt, at least in the physical sense.

“Armin…”

The young mage let out a sob. “Why… Why can’t I help…?”

Spongebob moved around and knelt so he faced his son, whose tears mixed with the pouring rain as he stayed on his side. The sea sponge reached out, carefully took hold of Armin and helped him sit up. “Armin, you should know if you asked your father in your time if you could help him in a battle, he’d say no. Even if I were there with you in your time, I’d still say no. I know it’s frustrating to hear it, but we don’t want anything bad happening to you. You’re our precious son, the greatest thing that could have ever happened to us, and we love you so very much. We couldn’t bear it if anything bad happened to you if we can prevent it. That’s why we don’t want you in this upcoming battle... because we love you.”

“D… Dad…” Armin flung himself into Spongebob’s arms and sobbed. Spongebob wrapped his arms around his son and held him close. He’d surprised himself a bit with his sudden fatherly instincts, but he knew how his own dad would react in such an instance. He also knew he and his mother loved him very much and would have had the same answer for him if he was much younger and wanted to go into a dangerous situation. Although it wasn’t possible, he had the strong desire to take Armin to his parents and show them their grandson. They’d be surprised and delighted, he was sure.

Pushing those thoughts out of his mind, Spongebob realised he and Armin were getting soaked to the bone. “Come on,” he said softly, carefully standing whilst still holding his son. “We need to get back inside where it’s warm and dry.”

Armin sniffled and picked up his hat. “O- Okay, Dad.”

When Spongebob let go of Armin, he realised the mage wasn’t much smaller than he. As they held hands and walked back to the inn, he was struck with a second realisation: Armin was nearly an adult. Sure, he was only fifteen, but in a few short years, he’d be an adult and ready to go out on his own.

Eighteen years without Spongebob, the primary one who brought Armin to life.

He started to realise how much it must have been hurting Armin to have never known his second father, and how desperately he’d wanted to go to the past so he could see him. Even though it would be for a brief time, he understood why the young mage had begged his father to do something so dangerous.

And Spongebob knew, right then and there, he would do as his future foretold and bring Armin to life in this time. When they reached Lastfield, he’d talk to Avior about going through with it. However, he’d make sure things would be different than Armin’s time; he would stay and raise his son together with Avior. The boy would have a proper chance at a happier life, full of love from both his fathers.

They entered the inn, both thoroughly soaked and chilled. Armin began shivering. As if on cue, Avior emerged from their room with towels and blankets. He helped Spongebob dry off Armin, then wrapped him in a blanket whilst Spongebob used a second towel to dry himself. The two then led their son back into the room; the rest of the party were still seated at the table, but they watched Armin with varying looks of concern.

Spongebob and Avior helped Armin into their bed; nobody spoke but they all seemed to know what they were doing as Armin was carefully tucked into bed. After a few moments, the young mage dozed off, and Avior let out his breath.

“Was it hard getting him to come back?” Avior asked softly, keeping his gaze on his son.

“Not really,” Spongebob answered, wrapping himself in a blanket. “He’s unhappy he can’t get stronger like we’ve been doing, and he really wants to help out, too.”

“But I can’t let him do that,” Avior protested.

“I know; I don’t want him in the battle against Skels, either. I told him why we don’t want him to be in the battle, and whilst I think he’s still unhappy about it, he understands we’re saying no because we love him.”

Avior wound an arm around Spongebob and pulled him close. “You’re a great father, Azemar,” he murmured.

“So are you,” Spongebob replied, leaning into him.

Behind them, Liang cleared her throat. “Uh, I hate to break the cosy lil’ mood here, but we still gotta come up with a strategy for the Skels fight.”

“Oh, right.” Spongebob felt silly for forgetting, but at the same time, he knew Avior and Armin had occupied the forefront of his mind as of late. He kept the blanket around his shoulders as he and Avior resumed their seats.

“Okay.” Liang looked at each party member in turn. “This is gonna be a real tough fight, especially since we ain’t got any experience fightin’ a dragoon. Avior has said they’re good at jumpin’ attacks, so we gotta be on the lookout for attacks from above. We also gotta watch out for the dragon Skels will have with ‘im…”

As the black belt spoke, Spongebob’s thoughts drifted to Armin. He knew his son wanted to help out in the fight, but it was just too risky. Thanks to the monster-fighting they’d done on the way to Stormwick, Armin’s level had risen from twenty to twenty-five, but it was still a long way off from the ideal level of sixty-five they would be working towards en route to Whiteland. Spongebob knew it would be far too easy for Skels or his dragon to target the young mage and pick him off before anyone had a chance to get to him. It would make things much harder if someone had to stay with Armin to protect him, too. Although he hated having to say “no”, he knew he’d made the right decision saying as much to his son. Thankfully, Avior had sided with him for the same reason.

Now, Armin was asleep; Spongebob could hear his soft snores that sounded so much like his own, though a bit deeper in tone. It was an unreal but incredible feeling, knowing he and Avior worked together to birth Armin. He hadn’t checked the maps very carefully lately, but he knew they weren’t too far off from Lastfield, where Zurnas awaited them. The thought of knowing what he was going to do with the red wizard seated beside him very soon set his heart pounding, but at the same time, he knew it was what he really wanted to do.

“…zemar.”

He could hardly believe after a lifetime of wanting to become a fry cook – which he’d achieved and had greatly loved doing – his main goal in life had changed: now he wanted to restore peace to the land of _Iron and Sorcery_ , have a child with Avior and live out the rest of his days with them.

“Azemar.”

He could think of no other thing that could make him any happier.

An elbow nudged him in the side, snapping his thoughts to the present. Five sets of eyes looked at him, most showing disappointment or irritation.

“O- Oh, uh… what’s going on?”

“Well, we _was_ tryin’ to come up with a strategy for our next battle,” Liang replied, annoyance in her voice, “but apparently ya ain’t thinkin’ this is a big deal, what with your daydreamin’ over there.”

“I’m sorry,” Spongebob apologised. “I guess I just got lost in thought for a while.”

Shipley shook his head. “That ain’t helpin’ much here, boyo.”

“Azemar, you’re the strongest person in our group,” Liang pointed out, trying to keep her tone even. “You’re also the leader, and the only one who can access the inventory. I’d ask ya to sit out this battle if you’re gonna just space out all day, but we need ya. We need all six of us to pull our strength together and use our abilities to defeat Skels. Please, Azemar, stay focused.”

Spongebob nodded, mentally reprimanding himself for allowing his thoughts to take his focus away from the conversation. Sure, it meant a lot to him to know he had a son but getting through the game took priority in this instance; anything else could wait.

He shifted his thinking to the potential battle. He imagined a dragoon warrior leaping high into the air before coming down on someone with his spear in hand. “Hmm… our biggest concern is whenever Skels will be airborne,” Spongebob said. “We won’t be able to get to him; I doubt even Avior could cast spells high enough to reach him. We also shouldn’t rely on such a thing.”

“What do ye suggest, then?” Shipley asked.

Spongebob frowned thoughtfully. “It’ll take time – though not much – for Skels to reach the ground. We need to be ready with a counterattack when he does come down, preferably something fast.”

“You ‘n I can move fast,” Liang pointed out.

“And since I’m a red wizard now,” Avior added, “I can cast spells faster.”

Spongebob nodded. “Good, we’ll have to utilise all three of us when Skels jumps. We should keep a rotation going so he won’t be able to predict who will be waiting for him to come down.”

“What about the dragon?” Liang asked. “We oughtta think of a way to defeat it first, especially with Skels attackin’ at the same time.”

“If Jayde summons a dragon, he could use it to at least distract Skels’ dragon.” Spongebob nodded at the snail. “Do you know if dragons are resistant to magic?”

“Meow,” Jayde replied. “Meow, meow.”

“I was afraid of that.” The sea sponge sighed. “The best thing we can do is take down the dragon quickly, with a powerful attack. Magic probably won’t work on it, as Jayde said, and it’ll be hard for Liang to get in close for an unarmed attack.”

“Then it be you, me or the Viking,” Shipley stated. “Which one o’ us are ye thinkin’ of usin’, boyo?”

“It shouldn’t just be one of us,” Spongebob replied. “Like I said earlier, relying on one person has backfired too many times. I also don’t think it’ll take one person to defeat the dragon. That’s why I’m suggesting Thorstein tries to bring it closer to the ground by throwing his axe at it. If he can hit the dragon, it should lower itself and be in much closer range. That way, Shipley and I can double-team it and defeat it together. Sound good?”

The others mulled over the idea for a few moments. “That sounds good to me,” Liang said.

“And me,” Shipley added.

Avior nodded. “Physical force would work better against a dragon, so I’m in agreement.”

“Meow,” Jayde said.

“What’re we doing?” Patrick asked.

Spongebob sighed in exasperation. “I’ll tell you later.”

“Well, we got one half of our strategy figured out,” Liang stated. “Do ya know how far it is to Whitefield, Azemar?”

“No, but I’ll check the map.” Spongebob took out his guidebook again and opened it up to the maps. He traced a finger along the route they’d need to take, which was almost completely north. “It looks like a long journey,” he reported. “Several days… probably at least five.”

“Then I’d like to request we stay here for a couple more days,” Liang replied. “We got even more mouths to feed than before, and I need time to make more mutton strips. We ain’t gonna be able to carry a buncha fresh food like before.”

“There also isn’t a marketplace like certain other towns,” Avior added. “If you need help, feel free to ask any of us to provide assistance.”

Liang nodded. “I’ll hafta do that, thanks, Avior.”

“Since we’ve got a long trip ahead of us,” Spongebob said, “and since we’ll be here for a little while longer, we can work out the strategy against Skels later. Right now, I think we all need a bit of downtime.” When the others nodded, he continued, “You can go wherever you want and do what you want but try to stay near Stormwick. We’ll leave the day after tomorrow, and I’d rather not have anyone going on a long search for one or more of us.”

The group agreed and, aside from Spongebob and Avior, they left. The sea sponge stood and went to the bed where Armin lay sleeping. He gazed at his son for a few moments before he was joined by Avior, who put his arm around him.

Spongebob was about to let his thoughts carry him away again when he noticed something seemed off with Armin. “What’s wrong?” Avior asked, having felt his emotions.

“I’m not sure…” Spongebob watched and listened for a moment. Armin was wheezing in his sleep. Spongebob removed one of his gloves before reaching out and placing it on the boy’s forehead, and almost immediately pulled his hand back, wincing.

“Fever?”

He nodded. “Probably from his run out in the rain.” He pulled his glove back on.

“Do you think he’ll be ready to travel in time?”

Spongebob both heard and felt Avior’s concern. “I’m not sure,” he admitted.

“Do you know how to treat a fever?”

“Sort of,” Spongebob replied. He tried to think of some basic remedies, though unfortunately, most of them were based on what was available to him in Bikini Bottom and not the game. He kept searching his memory and finally recalled something his grandmother had told him when he was much younger.

“Oh, I think I’ve got it.” He turned to look at Avior. “When getting rid of a fever, you have to sweat it out.”

“Sweat?” Avior raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, you get warm, which raises your body temperature. Since your temperature is already high from the fever, you start sweating, right? And that helps to break the fever.”

Avior grew thoughtful. “Warmth to combat warmth, eh… What do you suggest?”

“The blankets can only do so much,” Spongebob answered, “but to get him even warmer, someone will need to provide their own warmth.”

“Let me do it.”

Spongebob shook his head. “You could be at risk of catching the fever as well,” he explained. “I’ve been sick before, and the treatment I got makes it hard for me to get sick again.”

Avior’s eyes widened. “What kind of treatment was that?”

“Er, well, it’s one from my world; the treatment doesn’t exist here.”

“That’s disappointing. So you’re going to make Armin warmer by sharing the bed with him?”

“Yeah. I don’t think I’ll get sick, especially since I was also soaked from the rain and I feel fine.”

“Alright.” Avior removed his arm from Spongebob. “But let me help as well.”

“But—”

“He’s my son, too, Azemar. It’s frustrating not being able to do anything.”

“But what if you get sick as well?”

“We’ll worry about that if it happens. Now let me—”

“Hey, y’all,” Liang said as she entered the room. “What’re ya…” She trailed off as she realised where the knight and wizard were standing. “What’s goin’ on?”

“Armin has a fever,” Spongebob explained. “We’re trying to figure out how to break it.”

“Well, ya ain’t accomplishin’ much just standin’ around like that.” She marched across the room to stand nearby the bed. She placed her hand on Armin’s forehead. “Yeow! This boy’s got a real bad fever. Alright, y’all obviously don’t know what you’re doin’, so lemme take over.” She shoved the two away from the bed.

“But, Liang…” Spongebob protested.

“I ain’t hearin’ it.” Liang held up a hand. “Azemar, get a washcloth and wet it with cold water. Avior, get me another blanket.” Neither one moved. “What, y’all got cotton in your ears? Move!”

Spongebob scrambled to obey, heading over to the dresser. He spotted Avior going to the wardrobe. The sea sponge took a washcloth from the dresser drawer and soaked it in the water basin on top of the dresser. It wasn’t very cold, but it was the best they had. He returned to Liang and handed her the washcloth.

Without a word, she folded it in half and laid it across Armin’s forehead. Avior joined them with a blanket in his arms, and Liang used it to create another layer of warmth on top of Armin. The young mage already looked more content in his sleep.

Spongebob breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks for your help, Liang.”

The black belt kept her eyes on Armin. “Ain’t nothin’,” she replied. “My maw ‘n paw taught me what to do if someone gets sick. I know warmth helps break a fever, and when the boy wakes up, we’ll have somethin’ good for him to eat.”

“What did you have in mind?” Spongebob asked.

“Bone broth.”

“Wh- What?”

Liang turned to Spongebob. “Our work ain’t done yet, fellas. One of you is goin’ to the tavern to get me some mutton. We’re usin’ the bone from it to make broth.”

* * *

Armin’s eyes slowly opened, and he looked around. Spongebob and Avior stood on either side of the bed, watching him with concern.

The knight was the first to react. A smile spread across his lips as he said, “Good, you’re awake.”

Armin blinked a few times, seeming to process the sentence. “What happened?” he asked, his voice sounding rough. He coughed.

“Here, sit up.” Avior helped him up to a sitting position. “You got a fever,” the wizard continued as he made sure his son was still mostly covered with the blankets.

“Fever?”

“From being out in the rain.” Spongebob held up a glass of water. “Drink this.”

Armin did as he was told, though Spongebob kept a hand on the glass to make sure it wasn’t accidentally dropped. “Thanks, Dad,” Armin said when he finished. His voice already sounded a little better. “Why didn’t you get sick?”

Spongebob set the glass on the table behind him. “I was sick once, a few years ago. In my homeland, Bikini Bottom, I was treated for the illness. The treatment also makes it hard for me to catch anything like it again. Unfortunately, the treatment doesn’t exist here.”

“That’s too bad,” Armin remarked.

“Yeah, it would’ve made things much easier,” Spongebob agreed.

“But since it doesn’t,” Avior interjected, “let’s not dwell on it and instead focus on Armin getting better.”

“Right.” Spongebob turned back to his son. “Do you still have a fever?”

“I dunno,” Armin mumbled, looking sleepy.

“Let me check.” Spongebob took off his glove and placed his hand on Armin’s forehead. “It’s still there,” he reported as he put his glove back on, “but not as bad as before.”

“That’s good, ‘cause it means the fever’s about to break.”

Spongebob and Avior turned to the door, where Liang had just entered. She carried a bowl in her hands.

“I heard y'all talkin’ to Armin,” she explained, “so I got some of the broth ready for him.” She moved to the bedside – Spongebob had to relocate to the other side with Avior – and focused her attention on the young mage. “Before ya go back to sleep, ya need to eat this here bone broth.” She held out the bowl. “If ya need help, there are three of us here who can help.”

Armin slowly blinked. “But I’m not hungry.”

Spongebob took hold of Armin’s gloved tentacle. “You need to eat something, Armin. It’ll help you feel better.”

The red mage used his other hand to rub at his eyes. “Okay.”

As Armin ate, Spongebob looked at Liang. “You sure know how to take care of things, Liang.”

“Shoot, this ain’t nothin’.” The black belt waved her hand dismissively. “Besides, I figured none of ya knew what to do to take care of yourselves durin’ this quest, so it’s a good thing y’all got a Yuhan with ya.”

“It is a good thing,” Spongebob agreed. “By the way, have you ever thought about having a family of your own one day?”

“Me?” Liang laughed. “Naw, I ain’t the type to settle down like that. I prefer goin’ out and adventurin’, seein’ the sights and learnin’ new stuff all the time. If I ever did find someone I’d wanna have a family with, he’d hafta not mind bein’ on the move all the time.”

Spongebob nodded, knowing until he met Avior, he’d not given any thought to having someone in his life that was closer than a friend. Now, he couldn’t imagine anything making him happier than settling down with Avior in Irongrove and raising their son together.

Although he didn’t plan to leave the game, he was looking forward to getting to Lastfield so he and Avior could start their family.


	17. Chapter 17

Three days later, the party was ready to leave Stormwick. There was a lot of debate about staying longer than planned, but Spongebob and Avior didn’t want to move Armin before he’d recovered, and they also refused to leave their son behind. As such, the rest of the party got an extra day off whilst the knight and red wizard stayed at Armin’s bedside.

Sleeping arrangements were also a cause of stress; since Armin was in the bed his fathers typically occupied, Spongebob and Avior settled for sleeping in the chairs at the table. It made for some extremely uncomfortable rest, and neither of them got much sleep. Because of this, as well as the delay, tempers were short all around.

Armin’s fever broke after the first day, and he was well enough to travel by the third. Spongebob had wanted to stay one more day to make sure his son was recovered, but everyone else – Armin included – were anxious to leave the rainy town and head on to Whiteland. It was a long journey to the town, and things were already stressful enough.

They made decent progress on the first day of travel; if Armin grew too tired to walk, Avior would carry him piggyback style until the rest of the party was ready for a break. Spongebob had wanted to carry his son as well, but Armin was almost as big as he, so it would’ve been too difficult for the knight.

That evening, the group found a wooded area and made a campfire for the night. After they finished eating, Spongebob took out his guidebook and checked the map. He knew they were still a long way from Whiteland, but he had something else on his mind. He muttered to himself as he sought out a town.

Avior leaned closer to him and gazed at the map. “What’re you looking for?”

“Oh, uh… I just wanted to see how far we are from Lastfield,” Spongebob explained.

Armin, who was leaning close on Spongebob’s other side, pointed to the town on the map. “It’s right there, Dad.”

“Ah, thanks.” Spongebob touched his finger to the town, then traced a line to their current location, just north of Stormwick. His eyes widened.

“What is it?” Avior asked, having felt Spongebob’s emotions.

“We… We’re not far from Lastfield,” the knight murmured.

“So it would seem,” Avior remarked, noticing how short the line was that Spongebob had traced.

“There aren’t any towns between Whiteland and Lastfield,” Spongebob added. “That means…”

“We just have this battle against Skels in Whiteland, then we’re up against the black wizard,” Avior finished.

“Wait a minute,” Armin interjected. “Skels? The dragoon Skels?”

“Yeah, that’s who we’ve been working on a strategy to fight,” Spongebob answered.

“Ohh…” Armin’s eyes widened, and he covered his mouth with a tentacle.

“What’s the matter?” Avior asked.

“Oh, uh… n- nothing, Father,” Armin stammered, lowering his hand. “I- I just remembered something.”

“What?” Even Spongebob was curious as he and Avior looked at their son.

“U- Um… well, earlier I’d wanted to help with the fight, right? I, er… realised you guys were right, I really should stay away so the dragon won’t eat me.”

Spongebob and Avior exchanged a glance. They didn’t have to be a mind-reader to know their son was lying. However, they also knew it would be pointless to try to get the truth out of him.

“Well…” Spongebob slowly began, “I’m glad we don’t have to convince you to stay behind when we go to fight Skels.”

“Y- Yeah.” Armin nodded, a little too eagerly.

Avior looked at the map again. “How far do you think it is from Whiteland to Lastfield, Azemar?”

“Hmm…” Spongebob returned his attention to the map. “If it’s about five days to Whiteland from Stormwick, then… it’s probably about that far to Lastfield. Maybe six days, if something comes up.”

“So from tomorrow till Lastfield, if we just spend one day in Whiteland, we’re down to about two weeks.”

“…Yeah.” For some reason, Spongebob felt apprehension whilst gazing at the word “Lastfield” on his map. He realised after a moment he’d also felt apprehension from Avior, and he turned to look up at the red wizard.

Avior was giving him a very intense look, his gaze filled with love and worry. Before Spongebob could say anything, Avior spoke up. “I know you can feel what I’m feeling, Azemar, and I know you’re feeling the same thing.”

Spongebob nodded, almost too afraid to reply.

Avior stood. “Come over here.” He headed deeper into the trees.

Spongebob scrambled to his feet and followed; he left the guidebook on the ground. He walked in the direction he’d seen Avior go but couldn’t see anything in the shadows. “Avior?” he called softly. A pair of hands grabbed his arms, but before he could yell, he was pulled close to someone. He recognised the warmth and scent of his red wizard, and relaxed.

Avior wound his arms around Spongebob. “Azemar,” he murmured. “Oh, my love.”

“What’s wrong?” Spongebob felt Avior’s earlier apprehension turn into worry and sorrow.

“I… I just…” Avior sighed. “I’ve been having this bad feeling ever since we were in Ravenwood. I thought it was because of the fight against Tren, but it hasn’t gone away. I’d forgotten about it when we met Armin, but…”

Spongebob didn’t try to persuade him to continue. He, too, had been caught up in their son the past several days – understandably so – but now, if he concentrated enough, he could feel a bit of the bad feeling Avior had. He couldn’t explain what it could be, but it was enough to cause his own apprehension, worry and sorrow to spike.

“Avior…” The sea sponge closed his eyes, trying not to cry.

After a few moments, Spongebob opened his eyes again. “Wait… why are we getting upset?”

Avior stiffened in his arms. “Er… I thought it was because of my bad feeling.”

“Well, yes, but nothing bad has happened, has it?”

“No.”

“Then why are we upset?”

“Er…”

“Shouldn’t we not worry about the what-ifs and instead enjoy the time we’re together?”

“You’re right.” Avior leaned closer to the knight. “Did anyone tell you how smart you are, Azemar?”

“Well, no, but—” Spongebob was cut off as Avior pressed their lips together. He completely forgot about the question and his answer as he let Avior’s love wash over him. Ever since they’d met Armin, they’d barely had any time to themselves, let alone any time to be intimate with each other. Spongebob had missed it greatly, and now he allowed all his thoughts, his concerns, his troubles fall away as he kissed the octopus who’d captured his heart many weeks ago.

Armin poked his head around a tree trunk, where he’d been hiding. The firelight was much weaker this far away, but he still didn’t want to risk being seen. He spotted his fathers in each other’s arms, and after a bit of conversation, he saw them kiss. He smiled to himself, knowing he’d never seen Avior looking so happy in his life. Of course, in his time, the red wizard had been without the love of his life for fifteen long years, but here, right in this moment, they were together. He wished his father could be that happy again in the future.

After several moments, Spongebob and Avior pulled apart, though they stayed in each other’s arms. “By the way,” Avior said softly, “have you thought about what Armin told us?”

“What did he tell us?”

“You know, about what we will do when we’re at Lastfield.”

Spongebob took a moment to remember; his mind hadn’t been on anything other than Avior when they’d kissed. “Oh! That.”

“Yes, ‘that’.”

“Well… yes, I have,” Spongebob admitted. “Quite a lot, in fact.”

“And?”

“And, um… do you think we should try it when we get there?”

“What do you think?”

“That’s what I was asking.”

Avior gave him a sly look. “Then you should know my answer.”

“Yes?”

Avior nodded.

“Your answer is yes?”

The red wizard sighed, though he was smiling. “ _Yes_ , Azemar, yes. When we’re in Lastfield, I would like to try to have our own Armin. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Only if that’s what you truly want.”

“What do you think?” Avior leaned down again and gave Spongebob a very loving, passionate kiss.

After they broke apart again, Spongebob took a moment to catch his breath. “I… I’d say that’s a yes.”

Avior gave a small laugh. “Come on, we’d better get back to the others before they start worrying about us.”

“Yeah, especially Armin. He seems really happy to be with us.”

Avior took hold of Spongebob’s hand as they made their way back to the group. “That’s because he’s finally able to see you, Azemar. Imagine never seeing your own father for the first fifteen years of your life. I’m sure it’s been really hard on him, even with me there the whole time.”

Spongebob nodded his agreement, trying to picture the first fifteen years of his life without Harold Squarepants. His father had been an important part of his life, along with his mother, but to have him not there at all? He just couldn’t wrap his mind around it. No wonder Armin stuck by his side so much.

* * *

On the fifth day, the party reached Whiteland. To everyone’s surprise, the town was very cold – so much so there was a thick layer of snow covering almost every inch of the ground. Only a few exposed bricks in the roads showed a basic path for travellers to follow. The buildings appeared to have been constructed from plain stone, but snow dust swirled about in the wind and stuck to the buildings, making them all look just as white as the rest of the town.

“D- Dang,” Liang said as she wrapped her arms around herself and shivered, “I- I didn’t know there was a p- place this cold.”

Spongebob felt the cold through his armour and knew not everyone was fortunate enough to have complete protection. Patrick, Avior and Armin wore the most clothes, but even they were shaking in the cold. “M- Maybe we should f- find the inn,” the knight suggested through chattering teeth.

“How’re we going to do that with all the snow covering everything?” Avior asked, pressing himself against Spongebob to find some extra warmth.

Spongebob put his arm around the red wizard, also seeking warmth. It wasn’t much, but it was comforting to feel Avior against him. “M- Maybe we could ask one of the v- villagers?” he suggested.

“That’ll t- take too long,” Liang complained. “Y’all stay here, I- I’m gonna check myself. R- Runnin’ will help warm me up.” Without waiting for an answer, she took off.

Armin huddled in on Spongebob’s left side. “I- I hope she won’t take long.”

The sea sponge wrapped his other arm around his son. “I hope not, either; it’s too cold to just stand around waiting.”

A few minutes later, Liang jogged back to them. “It ain’t too far from here,” she reported, pointing northwest.

The group trudged down a couple of streets with the black belt in the lead; before long, they arrived in front of a building that looked just like any other in the town. However, Spongebob noticed the sign on the façade had some snow wiped off, revealing the word “INN”. He was sure Liang had brushed the snow off so she could be sure she was at the right place. He decided not to comment on it as the group entered the inn and immediately felt the temperature rising as the door closed behind them.

Spongebob breathed a sigh of relief as most of the party, Armin included, crowded around the fireplace in the lobby. The only two who hung back were Spongebob and Avior, who still had an arm around the other. The former was just grateful to be out of the biting cold.

“It’s rather difficult to believe a dragoon lives here,” Avior remarked as he watched the others.

“Yeah, don’t they usually live in warmer areas?”

“I don’t think they have a preference – at least as far as I’ve seen – but you generally don’t see them in really cold places. I’m curious to see who this dragoon is.”

“Me too,” Spongebob agreed, though mentally he added, _I wonder which Bikini Bottomite the dragoon resembles_.

“Did you say something?”

Spongebob looked up at Avior. “Uh, I just said, ‘me, too’.”

“No, I meant after that.”

“Er, no…”

“Hrm.” Avior looked thoughtful. “I could’ve sworn you said something about the dragoon resembling someone.”

Spongebob’s eyes widened. “Did… Did you just… hear my thoughts?”

The red wizard met his stunned gaze. “I’m… not sure.”

The knight turned his gaze to his son, who was talking with Liang about something as they and the rest of the party sat in front of the fireplace. He knew he shared a connection with Avior, just about from the beginning, and it had grown stronger as they were closer together, so they could tell what the other was feeling. But was it possible for that connection to grow even stronger?

“I don’t know what you’re thinking,” Avior’s voice broke into his thoughts, “but I can tell you’re surprised by the whole ordeal. You’re also a bit scared as to… something, I’m not quite sure what.”

Spongebob nodded, keeping his gaze on Armin. “I’m scared about the connection being even stronger than we thought.”

Avior was quiet for a moment. “You mean… our connection might be stronger now?”

“It’s possible.”

“And that’s why I might have heard your thoughts?”

“Yeah.”

Now Spongebob could feel the same fear coming from Avior. It was one thing to know what the other was feeling, but it was another thing entirely to know what they were thinking. Spongebob knew he couldn’t let that happen, not until he was able to tell Avior the truth about where they were.

“M… Maybe that was just a fluke,” Avior stammered. “I- I mean, I haven’t heard anything else you’ve been thinking, and you haven’t heard anything from me, right?”

“Right.”

“Then that was a fluke.” Avior’s fear turned to relief.

“I hope so.”

After everyone was warmed, Spongebob paid the fee and they headed into their room. They gathered around the table, as usual, and Liang brought in some extra chairs, also as usual. The group turned their attention to Spongebob, who was taken aback for a moment.

“U- Um… so you’re probably wondering what we should do next,” he began hesitantly.

“Are our levels high enough to take on Skels?” Liang asked, prompting everyone to check each other’s stats.

Aside from Armin, the others’ levels were around sixty-one or sixty-two. As for the young mage, his level was thirty-five. Even if he hadn’t agreed to stay out of the fight, Spongebob knew he’d still prohibit his son from joining them.

“Looks like we’re not quite ready to face Skels yet,” Spongebob reported. “Let’s take the rest of the day to relax, then tomorrow we go out of town to fight some monsters and get our levels up a little higher. We’ll see if we can fight Skels the day after that.”

“I don’t know ‘bout y’all,” Liang said, “but I’m gonna stay here. It’s too cold for me to wanna be out for long.”

“I’m hungry,” Patrick stated.

“Why don’t we go out and find some grub?” Shipley suggested, standing. “You lubbers may want to stay inside, but ol’ Shipley ain’t gonna sit around.”

Spongebob watched as his best friend and the crustacean left the room, then turned to Avior. “What do you want to do?” he asked.

Avior shrugged. “I’m not too eager to go out in the cold again.”

“Hold on a minute!”

Spongebob looked at Liang, who’d spoken. “What is it?”

“I just thought about somethin’,” she replied. “Y’all are gonna have a hard time sleepin’ tonight when there’s three of ya, ‘n only one bed.” She nodded towards the four beds in the room, which were currently unoccupied. “You got away with it before when Armin was sick, but it ain’t comfortable sleepin’ in the chairs.”

“What do you suggest?” Avior asked.

“Simple.” Liang smiled. “Y’all take the second room. These here inns have two rooms, and there are four beds in the other room. So why not use both rooms? Y’all in one, the rest of us in the other.”

Spongebob nodded thoughtfully. “That’s a good idea; it’d be hard getting three of us into one bed. With a second room, Armin can have a bed to himself.”

“Meow.”

“Oh! Right.” Spongebob looked down at Jayde, who was nearby. “Jayde, you can stay in the second room with us if you’d like, or you can sleep here.”

“I’ve been meanin’ to ask ‘bout that, too,” Liang said. “You can understand what Jayde’s sayin’?”

“Of course.” Spongebob nodded again.

“I can understand him, too,” Armin said proudly.

“I understand most of his words,” Avior added.

“Huh.” Liang appeared baffled. “I don’t think I know what he’s sayin’, but sometimes I can guess what he means, based on the situation.”

“You’re missing out on a lot, then,” Armin replied. “Like I said before, Jayde’s very smart and has some great stories he’s told me over the years.”

“Yeah? Like what?”

“Well, first of all, Jayde came from a different land, just like Dad and Thorstein,” Armin began. “It’s not Bikini Bottom, but a place where there are a lot of snails, just like him. They all have different skills and occupations, but a beastmaster’s rare. Some of the other snails got scared of Jayde when he first summoned a dragon, and they treated him like an outcast. He was terribly upset at this, so he decided to leave his home and go someplace where he’d be accepted.

“Jayde boarded a ship heading here, and when he got off, he started exploring. His ability to summon dragons came in handy when he needed to protect himself, and his level grew as a result. After several months, he found himself in Roserock, where Shipley ruled. He knew Shipley wouldn’t think anything of a snail in his castle, so he was free to roam about. He eventually came across the library in the castle, and that’s where he spent most of his time. It was fun for him to read all the different kinds of books there and learn about many things.

“He lived there for several years, until the day Dad, Thorstein and Liang came to challenge Shipley. When he saw Dad, he knew he had to join him on his quest. I asked him how he knew, and he said it was just a feeling he’d had. He could tell his future didn’t lie cooped up in a library, but rather out on a quest with a knight who respected him and had great use for his talents as a beastmaster.”

“Wow.” Liang glanced down at the snail, who was on the floor between Spongebob and Armin. “Is all that true, Jayde?”

“Meow.” Jayde bobbed his eyestalks up and down in a motion like nodding.

“I didn’t know any of that,” Spongebob said.

“But what about after the quest ends?” Avior asked. “You said Jayde stays with us in Irongrove, right, Armin?”

“Yeah. He was upset that Dad left, since it was Dad who inspired him to join the others on their quest. So you, Father, offered him the chance to stay with us when you took me to Irongrove. Jayde agreed, no longer inspired to go on quests or journeys, and instead helped raise me.”

Spongebob looked down at Jayde, who was thoughtful. “Meow,” the snail said. “Meow, meow meow meow. Meow, meow.”

“That’s what you told me, anyway,” Armin replied, shrugging.

“It’s also in the future,” Spongebob pointed out. “We don’t know what will happen yet, since we haven’t defeated Zurnas.”

“That’s true,” Avior agreed. “You know, we actually don’t know why most of us have joined Azemar and Thorstein on their quest. We should take some time to talk about it.”

“Yeah!” Liang grinned. “We can take turns tellin’ our stories.”

“That’s a great idea!” Spongebob smiled. “I can’t wait to hear what everyone says.”

“Let’s wait till Thorstein and Shipley come back,” Avior said. “Then we can decide who goes first.”

* * *

The two in question returned about fifteen minutes later; apparently, they’d not only found the tavern, but ate a meal there as well. “Well, Thorstein ate,” Shipley explained, “but I wanted to wait till we all got there.”

When Spongebob told them about Avior’s idea and Liang’s suggestion about taking turns, Shipley agreed. “Perhaps the first person can tell their story whilst we have lunch,” the crustacean suggested.

“Then I’ll go first,” Liang volunteered, “since I was the first to join Azemar and Thorstein’s group.”

“Sounds good to me,” Spongebob said. “Let’s head over to the tavern. Shipley, care to lead the way?”

“Aye!”

Spongebob noted how everyone seemed in better spirits as they made their way down a few blocks to the tavern. It was a welcome change of pace from the tense mood they’d had in Stormwick and kept their minds off the cold and snow as they travelled outside.

At the tavern, the group sat at a table with some food; although Patrick had already eaten, he got another plate of mutton and joined the others. Spongebob knew better than to comment on it.

“Alright,” Liang announced. “I’ll tell my story first. I came from a lil’ town ‘bout a day’s journey east of Maplegate. It’s kinda between Maplegate and Irongrove, really, and it’s called Honeywind. Yuhans like their questin’ and journeyin’, but most of us settle down in Honeywind when we’re ready to start a family. That’s where my maw ‘n paw went when they had me; they were in the middle of a journey when my maw realised she was expectin’. So they came back to Honeywind.

“I was raised to learn to take care of myself, since my parents knew I was a Yuhan ‘n I’d probably be out questin’ once I was old enough. So I learnt all sorts of recipes ‘n remedies ‘n survival skills, and when I was a lil’ older, they had me enrolled in the local dojo to become a black belt. It was like that for several years, ‘n when I was ready, I took the final test to become an official black belt. Of course I passed easily, and was given the title of black belt. My maw ‘n paw were real proud of me and knew I was ready to go on my own journey. They helped me get some things together, like the mutton strips, water canteen ‘n a first-aid kit, and sent me on my way.

“I left Honeywind for the first time in my life, and I’ll admit, I was right scared. I ain’t ever been on my own before then, and suddenly, there I was, all by myself. But I was a black belt and I knew how to take care of myself, so I kept on journeyin’. I didn’t know where I was goin’, but I was sure I’d find a sign that told me where I was goin’ someday. ‘Bout a day or two later, I was gonna head for Irongrove when I found Azemar ‘n Thorstein, ‘bout collapsed from hunger ‘n about to get eaten by a buncha weak monsters. That’s when I knew I had to not just help ‘em, but join ‘em, so that kinda thing wouldn’t happen again.”

“I really appreciate you helping us on that day, too,” Spongebob said. “If it wasn’t for your help, Thorstein and I probably wouldn’t have made it.”

“You do realise I was still watching you then, right?” Avior asked.

“Uhh…”

“If you were in any serious danger, I would’ve stepped in to help,” the red wizard explained. “To be honest, I _was_ about to help, but then I saw Liang approaching and I decided to stay back. I knew she would help you two and not hide, like I was doing.”

Liang nodded. “I ain’t one to hide around in the shadows, and I ain’t certainly one to leave some helpless people to suffer. Y’all were real grateful when I came along.”

“And I’m still grateful,” Spongebob replied. “I can’t ever thank you enough for all the help you’ve given us ever since we first met. You were a big help when Armin got a fever, too.”

“Anythin’ to help a friend,” Liang said, smiling.


	18. Chapter 18

That evening, after dinner, the party gathered around the table at the inn. Spongebob, Avior and Armin joined them for the time being; they’d already shared Liang’s idea of them using the second room, and the others agreed with it. For now, however, they were together as Shipley took his turn to tell his story.

“Let’s see…” he began. “I was born in the distant town of Rivercliff. It be on the southwest coast of this land, though I ain’t sure it’s still there. It was a small town, and although ‘cliff’ be part of its name, it didn’t sit on a cliff. Rivercliff be on the coastline and was constantly flooded. That’s why I ain’t sure it be there anymore. When I was a lad, I was known for stealin’ things: shiny things, pretty things, anything I could get me claws on. I was an orphan, see, ‘n orphans had to get by on whatever they could grab. One day, I found a shiny thing that looked different from the other shiny things I’d found, and I took it to the market to see what I could get fer it. Turns out I’d found a gold piece, which was very rare in the town. I could buy just about anythin’ with that gold. I knew I had to get more.

“I soon wandered anywhere ‘n everywhere, tryin’ to find that elusive gold. Before I knew it, I’d wandered far outta town. That was when a pirate crew captured me ‘n took me on board their ship. They thought they could get some kinda ransom fer me, but when I told ‘em I be an orphan, they let me join their crew and earn me keep. It was a fun time fer me, a hard-workin’ time. I learnt a lot on board that ship, more than I ever coulda’ learned in Rivercliff. I also got a lot o’ gold durin’ that time, and soon discovered me greatest love was money.

“Unfortunately, after several years, the ship was hit by a big wave, ‘n the cap’n retired the ship ‘n his crew when he learnt the ship was too costly to repair. He said he was tired o’ the pirate way o’ life, ‘n wanted us to do somethin’ better than lootin’ ‘n pillagin’. So the crew went their ways. Me, I went back to searchin’ fer gold. Spent ‘bout a year wanderin’ ‘round the land, pickin’ up gold where I could ‘n doin’ work to earn it as well. ‘Fore I knew it, I was at Lastfield, where the black wizard Zurnas had just taken over as ruler.

“He found me in the town, searchin’ along the streets for dropped gold. He sent some servants to test me, ‘n realised I had plenty ‘o skills as a pirate. He sent better servants to capture me ‘n took me to his castle. The black wizard had an offer for me, y’see. He needed men to rule the major towns in the land, to make sure everyone followed his command. He knew I was strong enough to fend for meself in a scrap, and me love for gold was a good reward. Take over Roserock, he told me. Take their money, take the town, he said. All the town’s gold would be mine if I ruled Roserock.

“So I agreed. I went to the town’s ruler ‘n spoke with ‘im, told ‘im what the black wizard told me. He agreed to step down as ruler since he wasn’t a fighter, ‘n let me take over. I dunno how the whole ‘Mad Eye’ nickname started, but I soon heard whispers ‘bout it, and I wondered what else people where whisperin’ ‘bout Shipley. So I hired some spies to keep an eye on the town for me, and get more gold if they ever found any. I hired some messengers to bring news back ‘n forth between towns, which came in handy many years later when Garm took over Springwick. Ye know what happened when you lot came into me town.”

“Wow,” Spongebob marvelled. “You’ve had an adventurous life.”

“Aye,” Shipley replied, “but me adventurin’ days be over. I enjoyed bein’ ruler of Roserock, ‘n not havin’ to worry when ‘n where me next meal be. That’s why I wanted to go back when this quest be over, so I won’t have that worry ever again.”

“That’s understandable,” Spongebob agreed. “I don’t blame you for wanting to go back there when we defeat Zurnas.”

“So why did you decide to join Azemar’s group, anyway?” Avior asked.

“Partly because I wanted to see the black wizard’s downfall meself,” Shipley answered. “But also partly because of that mollusc over there.” He pointed to Jayde, who was in his usual spot at the edge of the table near Spongebob.

“Meow?” Jayde looked surprised.

“Yeah, you.” Shipley frowned at him. “He be a scary thing, bringin’ forth those fearsome dragons. I saw what he did to Garm ‘n Tren with those beasts; if I hadn’t surrendered, I would’ve been a meal for one o’ those dragons as well.”

“Meow.” Jayde hiked an eyebrow.

“I agree,” Avior said, crossing his arms over his chest. “You weren’t enough of a threat to warrant being eaten; as you know, just the sight of the dragon had you surrendering. Garm and Tren weren’t the same. If they’d surrendered like you, they wouldn’t have met their fate the way they did. We’re not merciless, Shipley; everyone deserves a chance to surrender.”

Shipley didn’t look pleased with the answer but knew he didn’t have a counterargument. “Well, I think that’s about enough storytelling for tonight,” Spongebob said, changing the subject. “We’ve got a day of level-raising ahead of us tomorrow, and we still need to come up with a plan to fight Skels once we take down his dragon.”

The group voiced their agreement and started for their beds. Spongebob, Avior and Armin stood, ready to leave for their room. “Did you want to come with us, Jayde?” Armin asked.

“Meow.”

“Great!” Armin grinned as he picked up the snail. “You can sleep on my headboard if you want.”

Spongebob and Avior followed their son into the second room. Armin crossed the room and flopped on one of the beds before setting Jayde on top of the headboard. As the young mage climbed into bed, Spongebob and Avior turned to face the other.

“I’m glad everyone’s been opening up to us,” Spongebob said.

“Yes, but…” Avior trailed off.

“But what?”

“Nothing.” The red wizard wound his arms around Spongebob. “All that matters to me right now is you, Azemar, my love. And Armin, of course.”

The knight smiled as he wrapped his arms around Avior. “You and Armin are all that matter to me as well.”

Avior let out a sigh of contentment. “You won’t ever leave me, will you?”

Spongebob was puzzled by the question, but replied, “Of course not, Avior, why would I?”

The red wizard shook his head. “I just… it felt like I needed to ask it, that’s all.”

“I’m not leaving when we defeat Zurnas, remember? We’re doing this so we can send Thorstein back home and restore peace to the land. I’m staying here with you and Armin for the rest of my life.”

“Good.” Avior smiled at him. “I don’t ever want you to leave me, my beloved knight.”

Spongebob rested his head against Avior’s chest. “I’ll never ever leave you, my love.”

* * *

The next morning, the party ate breakfast at the tavern. It was Avior’s turn to tell his story; however, he declined on the grounds of their battle plan taking precedence. “I’ll tell my story after we defeat Skels,” he explained.

“How will we go about fighting him?” Spongebob asked. “He has the jumping attack, as well as a spear, so he’s got two advantages on us.”

“Didn’t you mention having someone ready to hit him as soon as he comes down?” Avior asked.

“Yes, but we’ve also got to keep in mind he’ll be attacking when he comes down,” the knight pointed out. “It’s not as simple as swinging a weapon when he hits the ground; we’ve got to be ready to defend first.”

“Who’s got the highest defence?” Liang asked.

“Hmm…” Spongebob grew thoughtful. “I think Shipley does. Thorstein’s defence is a little low because of his high attack, but the rest of us are pretty even.”

“Maybe we can do like with the dragon?” Liang suggested. “Rotate all of us to defend when Skels jumps?”

“How many times can we do that before he gets rid of our HP?”

“Well, ain’t we gonna have potions?”

“Yeah, though depending on how fast Skels launches into his next jumping attack, we might not have time to hand out potions.”

“Why don’t we carry some with us?” Avior suggested. “Remember when I did that with the antidote during the Garm fight?”

Spongebob nodded. “That’s a good idea, though we shouldn’t carry too many with us at once.”

“Of course not,” Avior agreed, “but having one or two potions on our person should be enough until we can get the time to let you hand out the other potions.”

“There’s also the problem with Ethers,” Spongebob pointed out. “Jayde should be alright, but you’re going to need potions _and_ Ethers, Avior.”

“I could carry one of each,” Avior suggested. “Since I’ve become a red wizard, my MP is much higher. I just have to cast fewer spells until you can get me another Ether.”

“Okay, so we’ve got that situated.” Spongebob kept his thoughtful look. “Now, the question remains of what to do when Skels jumps.”

“There’s really nothing we can do, Azemar,” Avior replied. “He’ll be too far up for anyone to reach; that’s the point of the attack. We just have to make sure he doesn’t land on one of us with his spear.”

“Good point. Skels can’t always be up in the air, right? So when he’s on the ground, why don’t we all attack at once?”

“Not from opposing directions,” Avior said. “That’s too easy for anyone to take advantage of. We’d need to go in from different angles, but not so different where we’d hurt each other if Skels jumps as we attack.”

“I’m still not sure this is going to work.” Spongebob put his elbows on the table and buried his face in his hands. “I just know we’re missing something in all this planning.”

“We can’t do anythin’ ‘bout it right now, anyway,” Liang said gently, “so why don’t we just think about it whilst we train outside town. If anyone has any ideas, share ‘em as soon as we take a break. Alright?”

The rest of the group agreed and most headed out. Spongebob stayed where he was at the table, his face still covered with his hands, until he heard the footsteps fading away. He knew he wasn’t alone, since Avior’s emotions stayed right beside him. Since neither of them had left, he was certain Armin had stayed as well.

He felt a hand on his back. “Are you okay, Azemar?” Avior asked softly.

“I just… I just _know_ we’re going about this all wrong,” Spongebob admitted. “I just can’t figure out how or why.”

“You shouldn’t get yourself worked up about it,” the red wizard replied. “All it’ll do is cause you too much stress and you won’t be able to think properly when the time calls for it.”

Spongebob sighed. “Yeah… I just—”

“Shadow.”

“Huh?” Spongebob finally raised his head and turned to Armin, who was seated to his right.

The young mage looked uncomfortable, but he repeated, “Shadow. When Skels jumps, he’ll cast a shadow on the ground. You’ll know where he lands if you look at the ground.”

Spongebob’s eyes widened as his son spoke. “That’s it!” he yelled, jumping to his feet. “His shadow! Oh, Armin, my wonderful son, you’re a genius!” He wrapped his arms around Armin and hugged him.

“Ack!” Armin was caught off-guard by the sudden hugging. “It’s not a big deal, Dad. I’m surprised you hadn’t thought of it before.”

“I’m a little surprised, too,” Avior said as Spongebob let go of Armin. “I wonder why we missed something so obvious.”

“Maybe because we were looking for something more complex?” Spongebob guessed. “Either way, we can come up with a better strategy to fight Skels since we know to look for his shadow when he jumps.”

Avior nodded. “By the way, Armin, you know how tomorrow’s fight will go, don’t you?”

“Yes, Father,” the mage responded.

“Will we win, or will it take more than one attempt?”

“I can’t say.”

“But you just told us the strategy to beat Skels,” Avior pointed out.

“Yes.”

“But…”

“But that’s all I can say,” Armin finished. “In the future, you’d told me that was the strategy used against Skels, but I can’t tell you anything else. I’m staying out of the fight to make sure I don’t interfere with the outcome, either.”

“Is that why you’d agreed to not participate?” Spongebob asked.

“Yes, Dad,” Armin replied. “I’d forgotten Father had told me to not get involved in the battles against Zurnas’ servants since it could have a negative effect on the outcome and mess up the future.”

“So you’re not helping in the fight against the black wizard?” Avior asked.

“Do _you_ want him there?” Spongebob asked incredulously.

“No, but I am curious,” Avior admitted.

Armin hesitated, then shook his head. “No, I won’t participate in that battle, either. It’s the biggest, most important fight of the quest, and I definitely can’t interfere with it.”

“What will you do, then?” Avior gave him a questioning look.

“Um… I'm not sure,” Armin replied. “I hadn’t really thought about it that much.”

Spongebob raised an eyebrow at this. The battle against Zurnas was to be the most important one, so why was Armin being vague about it? At the very least, he’d thought the young mage would want to watch the fight, even if it was from a hiding place. However, he knew better than to inquire into it.

“Er, well, we’d better go join the others,” he said. “I’m sure they’re wondering why we haven’t gone outside yet.”

“Good idea.” Avior led the family outside the tavern.

* * *

Late the following morning, the party stood outside the castle of Skels the dragoon. Armin was the only one absent; he’d agreed to stay at the inn until they returned. The rest of the group carried two bottles of potion; the only exception was Avior, who had a bottle of potion and a bottle of Ether. They’d agreed on Spongebob’s strategy to look for Skels’ shadow when he jumped, as well as their original plan of rotating out who would defend when the dragoon came down. Avior was to use either black or white magic at a distance wherever he could, and Jayde, after helping to take down the dragon, would stay hidden until things got very desperate.

Spongebob took a deep breath before pushing open the doors to the castle. To everyone’s surprise, there weren’t multiple closed doors or a labyrinth to navigate; instead, one trapdoor laid near the front door, to the right, and the rest of the castle was the main room. They could tell this because of the straw scattered sporadically across the floor, as well as a lack of other doors. A few windows lined the perimeter and the smell of something burning hung in the air. Torches hung about, which, combined with the daylight, lit most of the room. Spongebob looked up and noted the high ceilings, which were perfect for someone who could leap that distance.

The party entered the castle together, none speaking. Spongebob didn’t have to have a connection to the others to know their mounting fear; he could feel it coming from himself as well as the red wizard beside him. He tried to push it down as he gazed about the room, seeking either the dragoon or his dragon servant.

“Meahoy~”

Spongebob froze. That voice sounded way too familiar…

ROOOOOOOAAAAAR!

Everyone let out a collective gasp as the walls shook from the sound and a massive dragon emerged from the shadows on the far side of the room. It was far bigger than the last one Jayde had summoned; it felt as though it took up the entire room. Light reflected off its navy-coloured scales and would have been beautiful if it weren’t part of such a huge, angry dragon.

The beast spread its wings and flapped once, hard. The party was scattered as they tumbled away in different directions. Spongebob coughed as he tried to stand; the wind had kicked up straw and dust, lowering his visibility. He realised he was alone.

“Avior?” he called, squinting through the clouds of dust for his beloved. He caught sight of movement several yards away, and he ran towards the figure.

“Azemar, is that you?”

He recognised the southern twang of Liang. “Yeah, it’s me. Where’s everyone else?”

The black belt waved a hand to clear some of the dust. “I dunno, but this stuff is makin’ it hard to see.”

Thankfully, their limited sight was remedied when the dragon flapped its wings again. This time, Spongebob unsheathed his sword and jammed it between the stones on the ground, bracing himself. Liang wrapped her arms around his waist and held on as the wind gusted about them.

“What’re we gonna do?” Liang asked once the wind died down. “This fella’s wing-flappin’ is already makin’ it hard to do anything.”

Spongebob straightened up – Liang let go of him as well – and looked about. He spotted the others also getting up from the attack; each one separated from the rest. “We still go ahead with our plan,” he replied, yanking his sword out of the ground and returning it to its sheath. “Thorstein! Throw your axe!” He pointed towards the dragon as he shouted.

Patrick climbed to his feet. “Gotcha, buddy!” He hefted his axe high above his head and took aim.

“Now, Thorstein!” Spongebob yelled.

Patrick obeyed, throwing the axe as hard as he could. The dragon turned towards the weapon and opened its mouth; the axe landed inside and the dragon closed its mouth before swallowing.

“Uh-oh…” Patrick backed away.

“Oh, shrimp,” Spongebob muttered. There went yet another plan in a boss fight.

Suddenly, a second dragon appeared in the room; this one was smaller than the first and was emerald green in colour. It let out a roar as it zipped past the navy-coloured dragon, who growled and tried to swat it away with no success.

Spongebob turned towards Jayde, who was hiding behind a column and glowing with a blue light. He knew this was part of his original strategy, but he’d hoped to not have to resort to making Jayde use the bulk of his MP right away. Unfortunately, their plan had already backfired, so they had to improvise.

“Liang, come with me.” The knight took off for the column where Jayde was hiding. When they reached the snail, Spongebob opened his inventory and took out two bottles of Ether. “Use these when you need them,” he instructed as he set the items beside Jayde. “We’re changing plans a little; Liang will stay here and cover for you, and I’ll send Thorstein over here to help out with his shield. He can’t do much else without his axe.”

“Meow,” Jayde replied.

“Try to get the dragon closer to the ground,” Spongebob continued. “When you do, Shipley, Avior and I will rotate attacks to defeat it. Afterwards, take a rest. Since Skels keeps a dragon and is a dragoon, there isn’t much a dragon can do against him.”

“I wonder where Skels is at, anyway,” Liang remarked.

“Maybe he doesn’t think it’s worth facing us since we’re having so much trouble with his dragon already,” Spongebob suggested. “Either way, the dragon’s our immediate problem, and we need to take it down first.” He took two potions from the inventory and handed them to Liang before closing the window. “Hang onto these and use them if you or Thorstein need them. I’m going to Shipley and Avior to relay the plan.” Without waiting for an answer, he took off running again.

He didn’t stop until he reached Avior, who had been joined by Patrick. “Hey, Azemar!” Patrick greeted, waving.

“Thorstein, I need you over there with Liang and Jayde.” Spongebob pointed in the direction he’d just come. “Jayde needs extra protection with your shield.”

“Will do.” Patrick jogged away.

“Ugh, thank goodness,” Avior said once the starfish was far enough away. “It was a hassle having to keep an eye on Thorstein and cast Protect for both of us.” He shook his head. “But nevermind that. Do you have a plan, Azemar?”

“Yeah.” Spongebob repeated the instructions he’d given to Jayde and Liang.

Avior nodded. “It’s not much, but we’ve got no other choice. I’ll go first whilst you tell Shipley about the plan.”

Spongebob took hold of Avior’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Be careful.”

Avior smiled. “I will… I love you, Azemar.”

Spongebob also smiled. “I love you too, Avior.” Reluctantly, he let go of Avior’s hand and turned away before dashing over to Shipley.

After Spongebob relayed the plan, Shipley nodded. “Aye, that be a good idea—”

“Thunder!”

Spongebob jumped in surprise before looking in the direction of Avior’s shout. Lightning shot down from the ceiling and struck the dragon; the emerald one had moved away in time, but the larger one wasn’t as fortunate. It roared in pain as the lightning tore through its wings, sending it plummeting to the ground.

“Now, Shipley!” Spongebob took out his sword again. “I’ll get it on the other side!” He ran as Shipley brandished his knife.

Spongebob and Shipley hacked away at the dragon, Avior cast Ice to hit it and Jayde’s emerald dragon got in some bites and the occasional fire breath. The navy dragon had tried to use its own fire breath to attack the foursome, but they either dodged or consumed a potion after they were hit and continued their assault until the dragon’s HP was gone. At last, the dragon disappeared. Liang and Patrick cheered from their hiding place as Jayde’s glow faded, along with the emerald dragon.

Spongebob let out his breath. “Whew, that was tough. But we made it.” He glanced across the room at Avior. “I think—”

He was cut off as an all-too-familiar face popped up in front of him. He only had time to open his mouth before he felt immense, overwhelming pain as something hard and sharp embedded itself in his chest, and everything went mercifully dark.


	19. Chapter 19

_He attempted to move around, but he was frozen in place as the blackness surrounded him. He tried to call out, to yell for help, but no sound came from him. He wanted to cry, but no tears came forth. There was no down, no up, no sight or sound… there was nothing._

_He was nothing._

_He was alone._

_Where am I? He asked himself but received no answer for he had no voice._

_How did I get here?_

_Where is everyone?_

_Who is ‘everyone’?_

_Who am I?_

_A small light gradually grew before him, dispelling some of the darkness._

_“You are Azemar,” a voice said. “The bravest knight in the land.”_

_Who are you?_

_“I am the life within you that you will create very soon.”_

_Where am I?_

_“You are somewhere you should not be, Azemar.”_

_How do I get out of here?_

_“By remembering who you are, knowing where your heart lies and finding your destiny.”_

_How do I do that?_

_“Remember, Azemar. Remember and be reborn.”_

_The light faded._

_I… I…_

_Avior…_

* * *

There was something wet on his face.

With that realisation, he knew we was _aware_. He was alive, and he needed to wake. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking in the sudden light. There had been darkness for so long, it was an adjustment to get used to the light.

“You were right, Shipley!” a familiar southern-accented voice exclaimed. “It’s just like last time!”

“I toldja, lassie, it was that feather o’ his.”

“Wh… What happened?” he mumbled, still trying to adjust.

“Y’all got your HP depleted,” the first voice replied.

A moment later, a name came to his mind: Liang Yuhan. As his vision slowly cleared, he looked around. He was lying on his back on a stone floor; bits of straw lay scattered about. Kneeling beside him was a squirrel in a white-and-black karate uniform… Liang, he told himself. Standing beside Liang was a crustacean wearing a grey tunic and green breeches, held up with a dark green sash. “Shipley” was the name that appeared in his mind.

He blinked slowly, recalling the wet substance on his face. He reached up and touched the spot in question, then drew his hand away. Something clear and wet was on his fingertips. He blinked again, realising his hand looked different. He was sure he’d been wearing dark grey gloves, but now a light silver, fingerless glove rested on his arm.

That wasn’t right.

He pushed himself up into a sitting position and looked down at himself. Instead of plain silver armour, he now wore much lighter silver armour with a large emblem in the center. It appeared to be wings with a gold crown in the middle. His black leggings were now a deep indigo colour, and his lighter-coloured boots had the same crown at the top of the foot, and small wings on one side swept back.

He checked his arms and saw the fingerless gloves were on both hands, and his shoulder armour looked more elaborate than before. His arms that weren’t covered with the gloves were bare. When he reached up to feel for his helmet, he instead found a thick band that wound around his head. The sides held something diamond-shaped with more wings protruding back, and something that felt like a gem rested in the centre of the band.

He blinked again, his mind still trying to catch up. “What… What happened to my armour?” he asked.

“I think ya got upgraded like with Avior,” Liang answered.

_Avior…_

“Avior…” He repeated out loud. “Avior, where’s Avior?”

Liang pointed to his left. “He’s fightin’ Skels now. He took your death real hard, Azemar, just like ya did in the last battle.”

He inhaled slowly, information finally coming back to his mind. _Azemar._ His name wasn’t Azemar, it was Spongebob Squarepants. His in-game name was Azemar.

_Game…_ That’s right, he was trapped in a video game with Patrick, but he decided he didn’t want to leave.

Wait…

“I… died?”

Liang nodded. “Yep, Skels suddenly appeared right in front of ya, ‘n speared ya right through the heart. No one had a chance to get to ya ‘fore your HP went to zero.”

Spongebob looked down at his new armour again. “But how am I alive?”

“Ye have Avior to thank fer that,” Shipley replied. “He had one o’ them golden feathers, just like yer good-luck charm from the last fight, ‘n he gave it to ye before he went to fight Skels.”

Spongebob touched his face a second time, where it had been wet. Liang and Shipley’s explanation started adding up: Skels appeared in front of him without warning and killed him with his spear. Avior ran to him, though it was too late, and probably cried as he put the feather on Spongebob’s body. He realised he’d never seen Avior crying before. When Avior’s grief had passed, rage took over and he went to fight Skels.

Golden feather…

“That’s it!” Spongebob smacked himself on the head. “The gold feather… it’s a Phoenix Down!”

“A what?” Liang gave him a sideways look.

“I’ll explain later.” Spongebob climbed to his feet. “Where’s my sword?”

“Right here.” Liang held it up in its sheath. “Somethin’ weird happened to it.”

“Weird?” Spongebob could tell there was something different about the sword already, as the hilt was of a different shape. The same three gems were embedded in it, and the red and blue gems were still glowing softly. He hooked the sheath to his armour and drew the sword. He gasped as he realised what Liang meant. A series of six symbols ran down the length of the blade; he didn’t know what they were for.

“See?” Liang gestured to the sword. “I dunno how that happened but it might’ve been when ya got your upgrade.”

“I’ll figure it out later,” Spongebob replied. “Right now, I need to go help a certain red wizard.”

* * *

“Fire!” Avior held out his hands as a huge fireball erupted from them and headed for Skels. The dragoon leapt high, evading the attack. “No,” he muttered, gazing up in dismay as his arms dropped to his side. He’d tried to hold out as long as possible, but his potion and Ether bottles were all empty, and his MP was nearly depleted. The red bar hanging above his head told him he wouldn’t be able to withstand another aerial attack; all he could do was hope to evade in time.

Unfortunately, he was exhausted and knew he was slow to react. Still grasping onto hope, he looked at the floor, checking for a shadow. Sweat ran into his eyes and he wiped them away. Just as his eyesight cleared, he spotted the shadow in front of him, growing larger very quickly. He was too worn out to get away.

He closed his eyes. _Looks like I’ll be joining you soon, my love…_

“Avior!”

His eyes flew open at the same instant someone barrelled into him from the side, sending them both tumbling away just as Skels’ spear slammed into the floor. Avior sat up, disbelief overcoming him as he got a good look at his rescuer.

“A… Azemar…!”

Spongebob stood, brushing the dirt from his armour. “Sorry I had to do that, but you were seconds away from getting hit.”

“A… But…” Avior found it hard to talk.

Spongebob hiked an eyebrow as he faced the red wizard. “What’s wrong? Oh, you need some potions and Ethers, huh?”

Before the sea sponge could open his inventory, Avior wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly. “Azemar,” he murmured. “Oh, Azemar, my love… I thought you’d died.”

“I did,” Spongebob replied. “Just like you did in the battle against Tren. And, like you, I was revived with a Phoenix Down.”

“A what?” Avior looked down at him.

“I’ll tell you later.” Spongebob gave him a quick kiss. “We need to defeat Skels first.”

He prised himself from Avior’s arms and turned to face the dragoon, whose back was to him. Skels was attempting to pull his spear from the floor; apparently the blade had lodged itself between two stones. Once it was freed, Skels turned to face Spongebob, who gasped.

“D… Doodlebob?!”

The poorly drawn cartoony version of Spongebob held up his spear and pointed it at the sea sponge. “Meyoyyoy, ladyonmamoy!”

Spongebob was at a complete loss. Of all the people who could have been a dragoon, and it was a drawing _he_ had done several years ago as a joke? He mentally shook himself. It didn’t matter who Skels was, he wore the deep blue armour of a dragoon and wielded a spear and had apparently used it to fight Avior.

There was no time to pull up the inventory. He held up his left hand, concentrated on Avior behind him and shouted, “Cure!”

The red wizard gasped as he watched Spongebob glow with a soft white light; at the same time, his HP increased. “A… Azemar…”

Spongebob lowered his arm and gripped his sword with both hands. “I’m your opponent now, Skels,” he growled.

“Me hoy minoy!” The dragoon dashed towards him; Spongebob was ready as he used his sword to deflect the spear. As soon as Skels rushed past him, he swung his sword and sliced into the dragoon, sending out a spurt of blood.

Skels stumbled. Spongebob took advantage of the lapse of combat to open his inventory and remove two Ethers and a potion. He tossed all three towards Avior, who caught them.

“We need you back in the fight,” Spongebob said, keeping his eye on the dragoon. “You too, Liang, Shipley. Remember, we can’t rely on just one person.”

“Right.” Liang led Shipley closer to Spongebob. “What should we do, Azemar?”

Before he had a chance to reply, Spongebob held up his sword again as Skels charged, yelling some unintelligible nonsense. “Get him from the sides or rear!” Spongebob instructed, turning away the spear once again.

The two sprang into action. Avior had just finished consuming the Ethers and potion, and he moved closer as well. “I’m here to help, Azemar,” he said.

“Good, we’re gonna need you in a minute.” Spongebob used his sword to shove Skels backwards. “He’s probably going to jump, so be ready.”

True to the guess, Skels leapt high into the air. “Ground!” Spongebob yelled.

The foursome turned their gazes downward, watching for the tell-tale shadow. Liang suddenly jumped backwards. “Here!” she reported, pointing at the floor.

Spongebob thought quickly. “Avior, use Thunder!”

“Got it.” Avior held up a tentacle. “Thunder!”

Skels was about ten feet from the ground when lightning ripped through him, causing him to scream in pain. He toppled to the floor; when he tried to get up, Liang used her elbow to hit him in the back, sending him back down.

“You needa stay down!” Liang said, keeping a fighting stance.

“Neofineyin!” Skels rolled away from Liang and hopped to his feet.

“No, you don’t!” Spongebob leapt forward and slashed the dragoon across his front.

Skels fell backwards, stumbled a few steps and landed on his back. Spongebob stood over him, his sword pointing right at the dragoon.

“Finish him, Azemar!” Avior said from behind him. “Get your revenge for killing you!”

Spongebob’s hands shook as he gazed at Skels lying on the ground before him. It would be far too easy to plunge the blade deep into Skels’ chest, taking the revenge he deserved. However, Spongebob knew he was the one who created Doodlebob, and he’d be destroying his own creation. He’d also be taking away a life… could he do that?

“Ice!”

Spongebob jumped back in surprise as a large column of ice shot up from the ground, impaling Skels. The ice stopped growing after roughly ten feet, with the dragoon hanging limply from its peak. A few moments later, Skels disappeared.

He stared at the ice column for several moments, watching it eventually fade as the magic wore off. Silence filled the single room in the castle.

He opened his mouth. “A…”

A hand touched his arm. “Azemar, you okay?”

He closed his mouth.

The sound of many footsteps approaching came to his ears. “Well, our plan may have been foiled,” Shipley remarked, “but the fight be over now. It’s fortunate Avior had that feather, too.”

Spongebob slowly turned to face the red wizard, finding it difficult to talk.

Avior gave him a curious look. “I did what I had to do, Azemar,” he stated. “If I hadn’t cast Ice, Skels was going to kill you again. It’s just like the other battles; this is all self-defence.”

Silence.

“Please understand, Azemar, it was the only way. There wasn’t any time to think over what you were going to do; it was either you or him. The choice was pretty obvious.”

Spongebob let out his breath in a sigh. “…I understand,” he finally replied, stepping closer to the red wizard. “I just… I just wish…”

Avior covered the remaining distance and wrapped his arms around Spongebob. “Shh, it’s over now,” he murmured. “You’re alive, too… I thought I’d lost you forever.”

“Yeah, what was that you were sayin’ earlier?” Liang asked. “About a phoenix?”

“Oh, right.” Spongebob, still in Avior’s arms, turned towards the others. “The gold feather I’d found outside Ravenwood, that was a Phoenix Down.”

“Phoenix Down?” Shipley looked confused.

Spongebob nodded. “It’s a rare item that revives someone whose HP is reduced to zero during a battle. When Liang put the feather on Avior in the last battle, it revived him and gave him a little HP.”

“And that’s what happened to you, too,” Avior added. “I hadn’t mentioned it, but a couple days ago, I’d found a feather that looked like yours, so I held onto it. I thought it might’ve been the one you had, since I hadn’t seen it recently. I didn’t know it was used on me.”

“That’s lucky we’ve found two of them,” Spongebob pointed out. “It’s difficult finding any in the wild, and just about impossible finding any for sale in town.”

“I don’t think our luck will keep holdin’ out like that, though,” Liang said. “By the way, do ya know about your upgrade?”

“No, but I can look into it when we get back to the inn. We need to heal there, anyway.”

He sheathed his sword and exited the castle with the rest of the party. They were about halfway back to the inn when he recalled hearing a voice before he was revived:

_I am the life within you that you will create very soon._

Spongebob’s eyes widened.

* * *

At the inn, Liang and Shipley were the first ones to enter. Patrick had already broken off from the party to get some food; Spongebob promised him they’d get him a new axe before they left Whiteland. When he and Avior entered the inn, they heard an excited voice talking with the black belt and thief.

Spongebob again recalled the words spoken to him prior to his revival, knowing the voice matched the one he currently heard.

At last, a young red mage who bore a striking resemblance to him emerged from one of the rooms. “Father! Dad!” He grinned.

Avior was the first to speak. “Armin, did you know what would happen to Azemar during the fight?”

Armin nodded, his expression now one of sorrow. “Yeah, that’s why I stayed behind. I really didn’t want Dad to die, but it was necessary. I knew the best way to make sure I didn’t interfere was to stay here.” He looked at Spongebob. “Can you forgive me, Dad?”

Spongebob was silent, his mind still on the words he’d heard in the darkness.

“Azemar?” Avior gazed down at him.

“Huh?” Spongebob blinked. “Oh, uh… Y- Yes, I forgive you, Armin. I know you don’t want to mess up your timeline, so it was a good idea to stay behind.”

Armin smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”

“Do you know what happened with Azemar’s upgrade?” Avior gestured to Spongebob.

“Oh! Yes, Dad’s a paladin now.”

“Paladin?” That word brought Spongebob’s focus to the present.

“When Father revived, he became a red wizard. When you revived, Dad, you became a paladin.”

Spongebob blinked. “Huh. So do you know about my sword?” He unsheathed it and held up the blade, pointing to the symbols on it.

“Yes, I do.” Armin pointed to each one, starting from the tip. “That’s ‘warrior’, ‘strength’, ‘protection’, ‘joy’, ‘partnership’ and ‘journey’. They’re runes that symbolise what you’ve gone through since coming to this land, Dad. They also give you added strength whenever you use the sword.”

“Why doesn’t your sword look like that?” Avior asked.

Armin lowered his gaze. “Because it lost all its power once Dad left. The sword only changed because of Dad’s power and ability as a paladin. When he went back to his land, the sword no longer held any of his power, and it reverted back to its original form.” He blinked back tears. “I’d hoped I could give it power like Dad, but so far nothing has worked. I can’t even get the gems to glow.”

Spongebob sheathed his sword and put his hand on Armin’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll be able to give it the power to make the gems glow someday,” he said. Mentally, he added, _Hopefully not in the same way I got the first two to glow, though._

“I hope so.” Armin tried to smile.

“Let’s not worry about that right now, alright?” Spongebob gave him an encouraging smile. “Why don’t you tell me about paladins, and why I have so many wings and crowns on my armour now.”

“Paladins, right.” Armin nodded. “Um, what you don’t know, Dad, and what several others also don’t know is that before the black wizard took over, this land was ruled by a monarchy. The king had a personal guard comprised of paladins, and the crown-and-wing motif was the king’s emblem. After the black wizard was defeated, a new king was crowned and he brought together the strongest paladins in the land to become his personal guard.”

“Wow, that’s amazing,” Spongebob marvelled.

“Father told me the king personally sought you out and found me and Father living in Irongrove. He’d been told you were with the strongest red wizard, so he thought he’d find you with us. When Father told the king about your departure, he was disappointed.”

“Why?”

“He was going to make you captain of the guard,” Armin replied. “After all, you were the leader of the group responsible for defeating the black wizard and restoring peace to the land; there’s no higher honour for a paladin than to lead the king’s personal guard.”

“Oh.” Spongebob lowered his gaze for a moment before looking at his son again. “But since I’m staying, the king will find me and give me that position?”

Armin shrugged. “Probably.”

“Hold it.” Avior held up a tentacle. “You said the king was told Azemar was with ‘the strongest red wizard’?”

“Yeah.” Armin nodded again. “Since you were the only spellcaster in the group, and you’d ascended to a wizard and helped Dad defeat the black wizard, it made you the most powerful red wizard in the land. All the other wizards looked up to you and listened when you spoke. That’s also why they agreed to your plan to travel through time, though you only told me why you were doing the research.”

Avior grew thoughtful, and Spongebob felt his emotions regarding the matter. The wizard was rather pleased at his upcoming status of the strongest spellcaster, though he was also remorseful at losing Spongebob in the process.

“Have you seen the king?” Spongebob asked.

“No… well, technically I did, but when he came to visit Father and find out where you went, I was still a baby. I think Father said I was about a year old at the time; we hadn’t been in Irongrove for long after the black wizard’s defeat.”

“It’s a shame Azemar never got to meet him,” Avior commented. “By the way, we should get some rest. I know that’s what the others are doing now.”

“You’re right,” Spongebob said. He’d forgotten about his low HP ever since he and Avior started talking with their son.

“I hope you don’t mind staying in here a while longer, Armin,” Avior added.

“Not at all, Father.” Armin smiled at him.

“Good!” Spongebob put his arm around the young mage. “I know we’ll all benefit from getting some rest, and then we can talk about—”

Avior glanced at him; the three had started walking towards their room, but there was nothing to cause the paladin to stop in the middle of his sentence. “What’s wrong, Azemar?”

“I just remembered something,” Spongebob replied. “Let’s go to our room and I’ll explain it.”

Avior had really wanted to wait until they rested, but from Spongebob’s tone of voice and his emotions, he knew this was something that the sea sponge didn’t want to wait on. He nodded again and followed the other two to their room.

Once the door was closed, Armin hopped onto his bed – Jayde was already there, perched on the headboard – and Spongebob sat on the edge of the bed he shared with Avior. The red wizard stayed near the table as he regarded Spongebob.

“So what were you wanting to tell us?” he asked.

“Um, well…” Spongebob hesitated. “When you died, Avior, what was it like?”

“Huh?” Avior was caught off-guard with the question. “Er, I don’t really remember. I know I’d pushed you out of Tren’s path, and I was hurt badly in my middle… I don’t know what happened after that, but I woke up with Liang and Shipley looking at me in shock. They told me what happened, and I went to help you.”

“Why do you ask, Dad?” Armin kept his gaze on Spongebob.

“W- Well… When Skels killed me, I found myself in blackness. I don’t know where it was, and I didn’t know who _I_ was. I then saw a small light before me, and a voice from the light told me I was Azemar. When I asked who it was, it said…” He faltered.

Avior stepped closer to Spongebob and gently took hold of his hands. “What did the voice say?” he asked softly.

“It… It said… ‘I am the life within you that you will create very soon.’”

The room was silent. Avior gazed at Spongebob for several long moments; the paladin’s gaze was lowered. “Azemar…” he finally murmured.

Armin’s eyes were huge. “Dad… I think that was me. Did the voice sound like me?”

Spongebob nodded.

“That means I’m going to be born very soon.” Armin smiled. “I came from you, Dad, so I’m a part of you. Right now, in your present, I’m waiting to be born, since I know it’s coming.”

Spongebob’s cheeks coloured but he kept looking down. “How soon is ‘very soon’?” Avior asked.

Armin shrugged. “It’s hard to say, since Father – in my time, that is – wasn’t specific about it. But Skels is defeated, and I’m sure we’ll be heading out for Lastfield tomorrow, so… less than a week?”

Spongebob flinched. He wasn’t sure he was ready for it, but at the same time, he was looking forward to raising a child with Avior. But it was coming all too soon; he’d grown accustomed to hearing “soon” and “in the future”, but to think it was going to happen in fewer than seven days?

“Azemar.”

Avior’s voice broke into his thoughts; he knew the red wizard had felt his conflicting emotions.

“Y- Yes?”

“Look at me.” Spongebob obeyed, and Avior continued. “I know you’re scared, and if you don’t think you’re ready, then I’m not going to do it. We’ll do this only when both of us are ready. Besides, we have several days ahead of us where we can think it over and decide when we get to Lastfield. Don’t try to force yourself to give an answer now; think it over very carefully and when we get there, you can tell me then. Alright?”

“A- Alright.”

Avior gently squeezed Spongebob’s hands. “No matter what you answer, I’ll always love you, Azemar.”

Spongebob managed a smile. “I’ll always love you too, Avior.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spongebob's paladin design: [click/tap here](https://sta.sh/0p9s9m4sl2q)


	20. Chapter 20

“My story’s not as fascinating as the others, but—”

“Oh, nonsense, Avior.” Spongebob waved a hand dismissively. “I’m sure it’s very interesting.”

Avior sighed. It was the following morning, and the party was assembled at the tavern for breakfast. Spongebob had to prod the red wizard into telling his story, since he’d promised to do so after Skels’ defeat. Avior was obviously reluctant, but since it was Spongebob who was pleading, he couldn’t say no.

“Alright, I’ll tell it.” Avior took a deep breath, trying to ignore the six sets of eyes watching him. “I was born in a town called Silverbay. It’s on the southeast coast of this land, opposite from Rivercliff. Silverbay’s not an exceptionally large town, though it is known for its population of spellcasters that become famous for their powers. Unfortunately, the only popular mages and wizards from that town have always been black or white spellcasters.

“To be honest, I’d started studying black magic at the mage’s school in town. I wasn’t particularly good at it; that is, I could _do_ the spells, but they were far weaker than the others in my class. It was embarrassing, and I was ostracised because of it. One day, when I was heading home from school, I tripped and fell, scraping my knee. Ordinarily, I’d leave it until I got home, but for some reason, I wanted to try something. I held my hands over my knee and said, ‘Cure’. To my complete shock, the scrape went away. Terrified, I ran home and told my parents what had happened.

“My parents were both black wizards, so they were equally as shocked to hear I’d performed white magic. It just wasn’t possible. They asked me to do a Fire spell, which I did. They… They got the most disappointed looks on their faces. When I asked them what was wrong, they said I was a spellcaster who could do both black and white magic… I was a red mage.

“I was a freak.

“I didn’t know what to do; anyone I’d ever met were either black or white spellcasters. My parents didn’t seem to even want to have anything to do with me anymore. I dropped out of school. I… I almost gave up, right then and there. How could I go on, having this abnormal ability to perform _both_ black and white magic?

“Thankfully, my parents knew of a red wizard who was willing to become my mentor. His name was Gezax. I’d never heard of him, but since he was a red wizard, it came as no surprise. I met Gezax a few days later, and he took me out of Silverbay, to the coastline of the sea. It was soothing to hear the waves lapping at the shore, and not constantly worry about facing ridicule or scorn.

“Then he spoke to me. ‘Avior’, he said, ‘your destiny doesn’t lie in Silverbay. You don’t belong here with the black-and-white views of the world. Red spellcasters are far stronger than those who focus on just one path of magic; it takes a powerful person to have the ability to walk both paths. We’re a rare breed, you see. You need to escape from this stifling place: get out, see the world. There’s much for you to do in this land… and there’ll be someone waiting just for you and your special talents. All you have to do is shed this dull place and go explore.’

“I didn’t know what to make of his words, but I did know I had to leave Silverbay. Over the next several months, Gezax showed me how to better hone my white magic skills, since I’d only done black magic before. He got me a red mage’s uniform, which I gladly accepted, and I wore it as I improved on both my black and white magic. It was amazing, knowing what I could do.

“One day, Gezax told me he had to move on. ‘I don’t like sitting in one place for long,’ he told me. He was gone the next day; I didn’t even get to say goodbye to him. But I knew he wasn’t the emotional type; he was a red wizard who walked his own path. And I knew I had to do the same. Two days later, I packed a few things and slipped out of the house in the middle of the night. I left Silverbay, not even looking back. As soon as I crossed the town’s boundary, I knew I was finally free. It felt great.

“Unfortunately, that feeling didn’t last long, as I soon found myself out in the wilderness with no food, no water and no shelter. There were monsters all around me. I had to learn to fend for myself, and fast. Fortunately, I could do both offensive and defensive magic, which I quickly learnt to use to my advantage. It was hard, but I could take care of myself rather well. The only problem was that I had no idea where I was, nor where I was going.

“A lot of time passed; I don’t even know how long. It could’ve been weeks, months, years… I had no way of keeping track of the days. But one day, I was in a wooded area, trying to find some food. I saw two large shapes in the distance; they didn’t look like any creatures I’d seen before. When I moved in for a closer look, I heard them talking. Keeping quiet, I peered out from behind a tree and saw a knight and a Viking in the middle of a clearing. The knight yelled as a monster bit his leg and didn’t seem to know what to do about it as he spoke with the Viking, who looked equally as lost.”

“That was me and Thorstein, wasn’t it?” Spongebob asked.

Avior nodded. “Yes. I knew right away I had to help, as I felt drawn to you at the time, Azemar. I think you were what Gezax was talking about when he said there was someone waiting for me and my special talents. I had no idea it would grow to what it is now, but I’ve never felt more welcome than when I’m with you, my love.”

Spongebob smiled. “I don’t think any of us knew it would come to this, Avior. But I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.”

“That’s a right sad story, though,” Liang commented. “Ya got some lousy parents if’n they can’t accept their son for bein’ different.”

“It was like Gezax said,” Avior replied. “Silverbay has black and white spellcasters, and a black and white view of the world. If a red spellcaster ever emerges from there and shows them there’s a grey area between all the black and white, they don’t like it.”

“I’m glad you decided to follow his words,” Spongebob said. “Your life has become much better after making that decision to leave.”

Armin was thoughtful. “Gezax… oh, I know him.”

“You do?” Avior hiked an eyebrow.

“Yeah, he was one of the wizards who came to help with the time travel experiment,” Armin explained. “He was also the only wizard who already knew you, Father, though I didn’t know how at the time. Wow, if I’d have known he was your mentor…”

Avior looked surprised. “You mean, in the future, Gezax visits me again?”

Armin nodded. “At first, it was just you and a few other wizards who did the initial research. I was young at the time; I think Father said I was about two or three. They didn’t come very often since they had to travel far to get to Irongrove. As the research progressed over the years, other wizards came and went, lending their assistance however they could. Gezax came a few years ago when I was twelve, and you recognised him immediately, Father.”

“What did he say?” Avior was now interested.

“Umm…” Armin looked thoughtful again. “He said he’d come because he’d heard about what Father did, but realised despite all the good he was doing, Father wasn’t happy. Gezax thought it was strange. Father told him everything about his journey, including how I was born, and Gezax was surprised by both my birth and the fact that Father decided to have a child. He wanted to meet Dad, and Father told him what happened after the black wizard’s defeat, and about the king’s visit. Gezax was impressed by the king’s offer.” He paused, searching his memory. “There were some other things mentioned, but they weren’t all that important. I had to leave for a little while, but before I left, Gezax told me my father was a great man and a great wizard, and I would learn a lot from him. I just wish I’d have listened to him…”

“What do you mean?” Spongebob asked.

“Oh, uh…” Armin swiped the back of his hand across his nose. “It- It’s nothing, Dad, don’t worry.”

“You should know we’re always going to worry about you, Armin,” Avior said, placing a hand on his son. “We also know you’re a long way from your home _and_ time. It’s good both your fathers are here in this time, but it’s still not _your_ time, the one you’re more familiar with.”

As Armin nodded, Spongebob added, “We’re not that far from the end of the quest, either, and with me staying after Zurnas’ defeat, that should change your future. When you go back, I may be there.”

“I hope so,” Armin murmured.

* * *

After breakfast, the group went to the potion shoppe and armoury to purchase items and equipment upgrades. In the potion shoppe, Spongebob gathered the group together.

“I know we’d normally take a day for relaxing and giving Liang the chance to make more mutton strips,” he began, “but there’s one little problem.”

“It’s too cold to dry the meat,” Liang put in. “Normally, I’d set the strips outside to dry, but there ain’t nothin’ but snow ‘round here.”

“Can’t you do it in the inn?” Avior asked. “There’s a fireplace in the main lobby.”

“Yeah, but there ain’t enough room,” the black belt replied. “Since I gotta make strips for seven of us now, and we gotta get through five days of travel with three meals each day… that’s a lotta mutton strips. We’d have to stay here at least another two days for me to make enough for everyone.”

“What’re we gonna do then, lassie?” Shipley asked.

“I dunno,” Liang admitted. “It’s a long journey to go without food.”

“The monsters.”

“Huh?” All eyes fell on Armin, who’d spoken.

“The monsters.” Armin shrugged. “If you don’t deplete their HP completely, they don’t disappear. If you cast Stop, it’ll paralyse them, and you can skin and cook them however you’d like. They’re all edible, just tricky to keep them from disappearing.”

The shoppe was completely silent.

Spongebob was the first to speak. “Y… You mean… _eat_ the monsters? _Eat_ them?”

“Yes, Dad.”

“I’ve always wondered what those monsters taste like,” Patrick remarked.

Shipley grunted. “I’ve had to endure worse durin’ me days as a pirate, so I say we go for it. We ain’t got any other option at this point.”

“We can stay in Whiteland another couplea’ days,” Liang said, “but the sooner we get to Lastfield, the better. I think we should go with Armin’s idea.”

“Meow, meow,” Jayde added. “Meow meow, meow.”

Spongebob exchanged a glance with Avior. The paladin was repulsed at the idea but knew if they wanted to get to Lastfield quickly, that was their only choice unless they wanted to go hungry. He swallowed. “Do you know how to cast Stop, Avior?”

“No, but there’s a magic shoppe in town, and I can drop by there on our way out of Whiteland.”

Spongebob hesitated, still uncertain. Avior picked up on his feelings and took hold of his hands. “No one’s going to make you do this,” the wizard explained softly. “If you’d rather stay here another two days, we’ll stay. We’re not forcing you to do something you’re not comfortable doing.”

“I know.” Spongebob stepped forward and leaned against Avior, who let go of his hands and wound his arms around him. “But I also know no one wants to stay here since it’s so cold, and we need to get to Lastfield as soon as possible.” He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and said, “We’ll go with Armin’s idea.”

“I’m glad you’re willing to try it, Dad,” Armin said. “You’ll see it’s not as bad as you think.”

“How did you know about eating monsters anyway?” Avior asked.

“U- Um… you told me, Father,” the young mage stammered. “It was a last resort, but you and Dad and the others had to do it in order to get to Lastfield as quickly as possible.”

Spongebob glanced over his shoulder at his son, who was standing nearby him and Avior. Armin was smiling, though it looked forced. The paladin had a nagging suspicion Armin had just lied to him, though he didn’t know why or how. It was at least the second time the boy had either lied or withheld information from them, though not on the grounds of preventing the future from changing. Why was he doing such a thing to his own fathers? Spongebob knew he’d raise his son to be honest, and was sure Avior would do the same, so why all the lies and poor cover-ups?

* * *

After Spongebob finished stocking up on items, the group made a quick stop at the magic shoppe, where Avior bought a scroll containing the Stop spell. They then went back to the tavern to have a quick lunch; since they all had the proper equipment upgrades, Spongebob had lots of recovery items and Avior had his newest spell, the party was ready to leave Whiteland at last. As they walked away from the town after their meal, Spongebob realised it was the second time they’d left without food; the first time was when he and Patrick attempted to travel from Maplegate to Irongrove. They only made it about halfway before they collapsed from hunger, and were fortunate to have been found by Liang, who saved them.

Now, many weeks later and accompanied by several more people, it felt strange to him to not have the extra provisions. At least this time, they were better prepared, and had a plan in place for when they were ready for their next meal. Spongebob wasn’t sure he was ready to try Armin’s plan, but since the others were on board, he knew he’d have to go along with it.

The opportunity came just as the sun was beginning to set. Patrick had complained of hunger long before then, but everyone knew he grew hungry far quicker than anyone else. They waited until a few others mentioned their hunger before stopping.

“We should probably get the monsters ‘fore we build a fire,” Liang said. “But we still need someone to gather twigs for the fire and find a good location for our campsite.”

Avior glanced at Spongebob. “Azemar and I will take care of the fire and location-scouting,” he volunteered.

“Alright, y’all can go. Armin, since ya seem to know more about this huntin’ more than the rest of us, why don’tcha show us how it’s done?”

Armin hesitated, looking at his parents. “It’s okay, Armin,” Avior assured him. “We won’t be too far away.”

The young mage turned to Liang and nodded. “A- Alright, I can show you. You’ll need a spellcaster who can cast Stop, anyway.”

As the group split up, Avior steered Spongebob towards a wooded area. The latter hadn’t spoken in a while; the red wizard had felt his growing apprehension all day. Spongebob continued to keep quiet as he let Avior guide him away from the others.

Avior stopped just outside the trees and pointed to the ground. “Start looking for twigs,” he instructed. As Spongebob obeyed, he continued. “I know you’re unhappy about this predicament, Azemar, but as we talked about this morning, we don’t have much choice if we want to get to Lastfield quickly. We’re fortunate Armin was told an alternative to the food situation, strange though it may be. Unless you have a better idea, we’re all just going to have to accustom ourselves to it. It’s only for five days; after we defeat Zurnas, we can travel to Irongrove however we want and eat whatever we want. You’ll never have to eat another monster again.”

As Avior spoke, Spongebob wordlessly picked up any twigs and small branches he could find. He was still uneasy about the whole concept but hearing Avior rationalising it helped ease some of his apprehension. It really was just a temporary thing, and he’d never have to do it again. Who knew, he might end up liking it as well.

“You’re right, Avior,” he finally replied, “and I shouldn’t be the one dragging us down over it. It’s going to be hard to get used to, but like you said, it’s only for the five-day journey.”

The red wizard nodded as he also began searching for sticks. “I’m glad you understand. Honestly, I wasn’t happy at the idea, either, but I knew I had to set aside my discomfort if I wanted to—” He stopped, watching something in the distance.

Spongebob hiked an eyebrow and followed his gaze. Thanks to the dying sunlight, it was becoming harder to see, but he made out four figures in the distance, chasing a fifth figure. He recognised the four belonging to his friends and his son, but the fifth was unknown. In fact, if he didn’t know better, it almost looked like a…

“Are they chasing a monster?” he asked, squinting.

“It looks like it,” Avior replied.

“Why aren’t they fighting it?”

Avior fell silent, thinking. He and Spongebob watched as the figures gradually grew larger, and soon heard voices drifting towards them on the breeze. Neither could make out the words, but the tone suggested frustration. The single figure of the monster suddenly turned and chased the group; the voices now ones of surprise and a bit of fear. As their figures became more distinguishable in the evening light, they realised Armin was in the lead.

Spongebob turned to Avior. “You don’t think…”

“That Armin doesn’t know what he’s doing?” Avior sighed, shaking his head. “I should’ve remembered his level’s too low to take on monsters in this area.”

“Why aren’t the others helping?”

“Probably because they’re not thinking properly.”

“Should we go help?”

“We should.” Avior set his sticks on the ground near a tree, and Spongebob added his to the pile. “I’m glad I decided to get the Stop spell for myself. C’mon, we’d better hurry.”

Spongebob followed Avior as the latter took off at a run; thankfully, it only took a minute or so for them to catch up to the group. The two approached the monster from behind, and Spongebob drew his sword.

“Yaaah!” The paladin swung his sword, catching the monster by surprise and causing it to stumble.

“Stop!” Avior shouted, holding out his tentacle.

The monster froze in place. The others, who’d heard Spongebob’s yell, had stopped running and instead watched as the duo easily dispatched the monster. Armin glanced at the others before stepping towards his fathers.

“Ah, s- sorry for the trouble,” he apologised, looking sheepish.

“It’s understandable,” Avior replied whilst Spongebob returned his sword to its sheath. “I’d forgotten your level’s a bit too low to confront these monsters on your own.” He looked up at the other three; Jayde was perched on Patrick’s helmet since he moved too slow to be of much help. “But I’m surprised at the rest of you; you should’ve been covering for Armin.”

Liang shrugged. “The monster surprised us,” she explained. “We were tryin’ to look for one when this one dropped outta nowhere right in front of us, then ran away. Armin said he’d get it, so we ended up followin’ him. But we didn’t expect the monster to suddenly turn and try to attack us; I guess it realised Armin’s level was much lower than its own.”

Avior tried to hide an exasperated look, though his frustration was apparent. Just as he opened his mouth to reply, Spongebob stepped forward. “There’s no sense dwelling on it; I’m sure the paralysis won’t last long on the monster, so we should act quickly.” He turned to his son. “Do you know what we need to do after paralysing the monster?”

“Er, yes.” Armin moved closer to the monster. “We have to kill it while it’s paralysed. It’s a tricky thing since the monster can still disappear.”

* * *

About an hour later, the party gathered around the campfire in the woods. After killing the monster, it was skinned and taken apart for its meat, then Spongebob and Avior gathered up their sticks and started a fire in a clearing in the woods. The monster’s meat was speared onto small branches and held over the fire to cook; soon even Spongebob’s stomach was growling at the aroma of cooked meat.

Avior handed him one of the sticks, then gave one to Armin before taking one for himself. The others followed suit, each exchanging nervous glances before biting into the meat. Spongebob watched as his friends all gave positive remarks about it, and even heard Armin chewing beside him.

“It’s getting cold quickly, Azemar,” Avior murmured into his ear, making him jump in surprise.

“Ah, I- I… I know,” Spongebob stammered, feeling his earlier apprehension returning. He tried to push it down as he took a tentative bite. To his surprise, it tasted good; far better than the mutton he’d had to eat countless times during his journey.

“It looks like you’re enjoying it,” Avior observed.

Spongebob swallowed. “Yeah, I can’t believe it. Why hadn’t we thought of this before?”

“Partially because it never occurred to any of us, since the monsters disappear after we defeat them,” Avior answered, “and partially because up until Roserock, you didn’t have a spellcaster in your party. Now you have two, and you yourself can cast white magic.”

“Yeah…” Spongebob lowered his gaze, seeing the light silver fingerless gloves on his arms and hands. “It feels kind of strange, having this power and ability.”

“You’ll get used to it,” Avior assured him. “After all, both Armin and I have magic abilities, and it’s stronger than yours.”

“I’ve been meanin’ to say somethin’,” Liang interjected; she was seated opposite Avior. When the attention was focused on her, she pointed at Spongebob and Avior and continued. “Y’all sure do work real well together, and I ain’t just sayin’ that. I mean it’s almost like you’ve known each other your whole lives, not just a few months. Ya don’t even hafta tell the other what you’re gonna do before the other reacts the way he’s supposed to.”

“R- Really?” Spongebob felt heat rising in his cheeks.

Liang nodded. “I know I’d previously said I didn’t trust ya, Avior, but you’ve proven your trust and have shown how well ya work with Azemar. You’ve shown yourself to be a valuable member of our group, and not just because of your spellcastin’. I take back what I said before about ya not bein’ trustworthy, and I hope we could maybe be friends.”

Spongebob’s eyes widened. He knew how much Liang had seemed to resent Avior’s presence in the party, even after the latter had fallen in love with the paladin. It was a shame it had taken so long to get the black belt to rescind her earlier words, but it said a lot on her behalf that she did so after promising as much.

“I appreciate you saying that to me,” Avior replied. “As you should know, a lot of that has to do with Azemar. It does feel like we’ve known each other for many years; maybe that’s why I’m not opposed to having a child with him after being with him for a short time. But whatever the reason, I’m incredibly grateful for everything Azemar’s done for me. That includes showing me how to work with others and even forging friendships with them.” He smiled. “So yes, we can be friends, Liang.”

“Thanks, Avior.” Liang grinned. “I know Armin said I didn’t stick around for long after we defeated the black wizard, but I wanna change that. It’d be mighty low of me as a friend to abandon y’all like that, so when you’re ready to go to Irongrove, I’ll go with ya.”

This time, Spongebob spoke up. “Thank you, Liang. Maybe together, we can change some of our future, and make it at least a little better for Armin.”

At the mention of his name, Armin perked up. Once Spongebob’s words sank in, he looked uncomfortable and said, “Uh, I hope so too, Dad.”

* * *

The party stopped outside the town gates. They’d travelled for five days to get to this point, and at long last, the destination Spongebob had seen on his map as a tiny dot in the far distance was now in front of them. He could hardly believe what was before him.

“This is it,” Armin announced, gesturing towards the gates. “The town of Lastfield, where the black wizard resides. You don’t have to worry; there are no guards at the entrance and there aren’t patrols or anything in the streets. The black wizard mostly stays in his castle on the far end of town and rarely leaves.”

Spongebob gave his son a puzzled look. “How do you know all this?”

“Oh, uh… th- that’s what Father told me in my time,” Armin replied.

“Okay, I can’t take it anymore,” Avior said. “Why are you continually lying to us, Armin?”

“What?” Armin looked confused. “What do you mean, Father?”

“I mean it’s obvious you’ve lied to us several times,” Avior explained. “I can understand when it’s for the sake of ensuring certain events happen, like when Azemar died in the battle with Skels, but you’ve lied other times that have nothing to do with preserving the timeline.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Armin said. “Besides, we need to get inside the town and have a look around; Lastfield’s an exceptionally large town, much bigger than any other town we’ve been in. It’s going to take some time to navigate it.”

Avior frowned, looking as though he wasn’t about to let the matter drop. Spongebob decided to intervene. “You’re right, Armin,” he said. “We need to go inside before we start looking suspicious for standing around the gates for a long time. Zurnas might not have a patrolling army, but he may have eyes watching us.”

The rest of the group agreed – Avior still looked unhappy but muttered his agreement as well – and they walked through the open gates of Lastfield.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone asks, yes the monster-eating concept was borrowed from the manga series _Dungeon Meshi_ , or _Delicious in Dungeon_.


	21. Chapter 21

True to Armin’s word, Lastfield was a vast town; in fact, it could be considered a small city. The largest towns the party had previously visited were Roserock and Springwick, but both paled in comparison to the sheer size of Lastfield. It would be far too easy for them to get lost in such a place. There was some semblance of order, as all the roads were arranged in a grid pattern, and the businesses were organised by their overall theme, much like Roserock. However, Spongebob knew it would be best to try to keep everyone together as much as possible.

Unfortunately, there was still the matter of Avior’s unhappiness with Armin’s obvious lying, which could cause some conflict and result in separation. Spongebob would have to think fast if he wanted to keep the party together.

“What should we do first?” he asked, breaking the silence.

“Food!” Patrick declared to no one’s surprise.

“We should find the inn, too,” Liang pointed out. “We’re losin’ daylight pretty fast.”

“Maybe some of us should look for the inn, and the rest look for food?” Shipley suggested.

Spongebob hesitated. “Uhh…”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Liang said. “We can meet up at the fountain there,” she pointed, “and report what we’ve found.”

“But—” Spongebob tried to protest.

“That be good to me,” Shipley replied. “I’m goin’ fer the food; if ye wanna eat, follow me.” He walked away, with Patrick, Jayde and, surprisingly, Armin following.

Spongebob gaped as he watched his son trotting away with the others, leaving him alone with Avior and Liang to search for the inn. It was the first time Armin had voluntarily separated himself from his fathers; he was sure it was due to Avior’s earlier aggravation with the young mage.

“Looks like it’s just you ‘n me, boys,” Liang stated as she started walking. After a moment, she realised she was alone, and she stopped and turned back to the two still near the town entrance. Avior’s expression was unreadable, but Spongebob clearly wore a troubled look.

She sighed and went back to them. “What’s wrong with y’all?”

“I- He- They…” Spongebob tried to answer.

Avior rubbed his forehead. “It’s nothing, Liang, don’t worry about it.”

The black belt rolled her eyes. “It ain’t nothin’, and ya know it. I ain’t seen either of ya in such a state, even when Azemar was gettin’ antsy ‘bout eatin’ monsters. Now tell me what’s botherin’ y’all so we can get goin’.”

It was Avior’s turn to sigh. “I just don’t understand why Armin’s been lying to us so many times; I’m certain I would have raised him to be an honest child. Yet anytime a question comes up as to how he knows something, he usually says I’m the one who taught him in the future. But it’s apparent he’s lying, and I’m sure even if I’d told him a hundred times about our journey, I wouldn’t have gone into such detail on certain things. Why is he lying so much to his own parents?”

Liang regarded him for a few moments. “I can tell ya ain’t got experience with kids,” she finally replied.

“What do you mean?”

“He’s a teenager, Avior. Don’t ya remember being one yourself? Teens are real ornery ‘n go against their parents all the time. You can raise him to be the best kid in the world, but he’s still gonna get rebellious at some point durin’ his teenage years.” She turned to Spongebob, who’d been silent the whole time. “Weren’t ya like that too, Azemar?”

Spongebob started. He knew his own experiences growing up were drastically different from the people in the game, but teenagers were a universal thing. He could also hardly believe such a simple answer explained Armin’s behaviour. “Umm… a little,” he admitted.

“See?” Liang looked back at Avior. “It’s natural for teenagers to rebel against their parents ‘n try to do their own thing. It’s all a part of growin’ up; when he’s ready, he’ll tell ya the truth.”

“We shouldn’t dwell on it too much right now, either,” Spongebob added. “I’m sure he’s got a reason for lying to us, but we shouldn’t try to force it out of him. Like Liang said, Armin will tell us the truth when he’s ready.”

Avior took a deep breath and nodded. “You’re right… both of you. It’s difficult trying to be a parent when the child is already fifteen, so I’m not used to any of it.”

Spongebob took hold of Avior’s hand. “But we’ll soon have the chance to raise a child the right way, and we’ll be better prepared when he becomes a teenager.”

Avior looked down at him. “Y- You mean…?”

“I’ve decided.” Spongebob gazed up at him, feeling the immense love coming from the red wizard that he also felt. “The troubles we’re having with Armin right now is because we’re not used to it. But if we have a child and raise him from a baby, it’ll be easier for us to understand him better when he reaches that age, like Liang said. So to answer your question, yes, I want to have Armin whilst we’re here in Lastfield.”

Avior smiled broadly. “Azemar, I—”

“I hate to break up this moment,” Liang interrupted, “but we’re nearly outta daylight and we ain’t even started lookin’ for the inn. Y’all can finish your conversation later, alright?” Without waiting for an answer, she headed off.

“W- We’d better follow her,” Spongebob said, still holding Avior’s hand.

“Right.” Avior stayed by his side as they caught up to the black belt.

* * *

About half an hour later, the party gathered around the table at the inn. Shipley had found a marketplace like the ones in Roserock and Springwick, so he and Thorstein bought lots of food there for everyone to share. It was a welcome change of pace away from the monsters they’d had to eat during their journey to Lastfield; whilst the meat tasted good, everyone had tired of having to resort to such a tricky method to get their food and even prepare the entire thing themselves. It made Spongebob long for the simplicity of cooking a Krabby Patty on a grill and adding it to a bun laden with condiments.

As they ate, Liang suggested they come up with a strategy for fighting Zurnas. “He’s the toughest person in the entire land,” she explained. “We ain’t had a battle like this one before, and he ain’t gonna be someone we can have just one strategy against.”

“Our single strategies never worked in the past for us, either,” Spongebob pointed out. “We’ll need to come up with several strategies and be prepared to go between them as well as using none of them.”

“So what be the black wizard’s level?” Shipley asked.

“Let me check.” Spongebob pulled out his guidebook and flipped through the pages. “It says his level is… eighty-five. He also uses many different black magic spells to give himself an advantage in battle. It’s going to be an exceedingly difficult fight.”

“Our levels are also not high enough to challenge him right now,” Avior said. “With that huge difference, we may have to stay here a few days to raise our levels. I—” He glanced at Spongebob and cleared his throat. “Er, that is, I suggest we lay low whilst we’re training so the black wizard doesn’t catch on to our presence. None of us have been here before, so we don’t know what kind of surveillance goes on in Lastfield. If we’re travelling through the town, make sure you look like… like…” He seemed to struggle for the right word.

“Like tourists,” Spongebob put in. “All of us, save for me and Thorstein, have towns we hail from, so if anyone asks, tell them you’re visiting from your hometown. As for me and Thorstein, we’ll say we’re from Maplegate.”

“That be a good plan,” Shipley replied, “but there be just one problem.”

“What’s that?”

“Me.” The crustacean pointed to himself. “The black wizard knows me very well and knows I should be at Roserock. I ain’t got an explanation for me presence here.”

“Good point.” Spongebob grew thoughtful. “How can we cover for that…?”

“A disguise.”

The party turned to Armin, who was seated to Spongebob’s right, as usual. “A… disguise?” Avior’s tone was surprised and confused.

“Yeah, a disguise.” The young mage nodded. “One of us goes to the clothing shoppe and finds a different outfit for Shipley to wear. If he doesn’t do much talking, Shipley should be able to pass for any other tourist in Lastfield.”

Avior hiked an eyebrow. “Is this something else I told you in the future?” he asked disdainfully.

“No, I thought of it on my own.” Armin glanced at him for a moment before turning to Shipley. “What do you think?”

“Aye, that be a good idea,” Shipley conceded.

“We should probably have someone go with ya whenever y’all go out,” Liang suggested. “That way, if someone wants to talk with ya, the other person can do most of the talkin’.”

“Aye,” Shipley agreed, “though I don’t care much for the idea of havin’ to rely on someone so much.”

“It’s just for a few days,” Spongebob said, “and only whilst you’re outside.”

“True, laddie, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“Good point.” Spongebob looked at the others. “So tomorrow we start work on raising our levels, and we find a disguise for Shipley so Zurnas doesn’t find out he’s here.”

“Ya might wanna lay off callin’ him by his name, too,” Liang added. “Most folks ‘round here are too scared to call him anythin’ other than the black wizard.”

Spongebob nodded. “Got it. The less attraction any of us calls to ourselves, the better.”

After dinner, the party retired to their rooms. As before, Spongebob, Avior and Armin went to the second room. Spongebob unhooked his sword from his armour and gazed at it for a moment, still marvelling at the change it had undergone since his upgrade to paladin class. The red and blue gems continued to give off a soft glow, though the turquoise one remained dull. He again wondered what would happen to activate it, as well as what would happen once all three gems were lit.

“Azemar.” Avior’s voice broke into his thoughts.

“Yes?” Spongebob set his sword on the bed and turned around to face the red wizard, who stood near the dresser.

“When I was talking to the others earlier, I couldn’t help but notice you’d felt disappointed.”

“I did?”

Avior nodded. “It was when I said we’d be here for a few days to raise our levels.”

“Oh.” Spongebob had forgotten about it, but Avior’s words had restored his memory. “I’d just thought we could fight Zurnas sooner than that.”

“But even you should know our levels are too low right now; why this hurry?”

“Erm… w- well, I thought… you know…” Spongebob fidgeted.

Avior gave him a puzzled look until he felt the paladin’s emotions. He glanced behind Spongebob at Armin, who was seated on his bed and watching them. “Ah, you wanted to try ‘that’.” He returned his gaze to Spongebob, who was now blushing and avoiding his gaze.

“That?” Armin tilted his head.

“Yes, you know, having you.” Avior nodded in his direction.

“Ohh, _that_. I can leave the room if that’s what you—”

“No, you stay here.” Avior looked at Spongebob again. “Azemar’s disappointed because we can’t do that right now; we don’t have time to take care of a baby yet. That’s something that would take all our time and attention, which we can’t afford to do. Battling monsters to raise our levels comes first.” He stepped closer to Spongebob and wrapped his arms around him. “Don’t worry, Azemar, we will try before fighting the black wizard, I promise. But we need to make sure we’re ready to face him before we do anything else.”

“Okay.” Spongebob buried his face in Avior’s tunic. “I love you,” he murmured.

Avior kissed the top of his head. “I love you too, Azemar.”

“I love you both as well,” Armin added.

Avior raised his head and gazed at his son. “Then why do you keep lying to us?”

“H- Huh?”

Spongebob also lifted his head. “Avior…”

“I just want answers,” Avior explained. “You’re a terrible liar, just like Azemar. And I know I would raise you to be honest. If you really were so keen on being a knight as well as a red mage, you should know knights don’t lie, either.”

Armin was silent, knowing he couldn’t respond. Spongebob kept his gaze on Avior, who only wore a patient look. Inwardly, he felt guilty about hiding a big secret from everyone, but at the same time, he’d never asked to become a knight or paladin. He was a fry cook, nothing more.

“I… I’m sorry, Father,” Armin finally replied, lowering his gaze.

“Avior,” Spongebob repeated, “don’t try to force the truth out of him. There’s got to be a reason why he’s hiding things from us. Remember what Liang said earlier? When he’s ready, he’ll tell us the truth. Don’t make him tell us when he isn’t ready.”

Avior looked back down at Spongebob and sighed. “I know, it’s just so frustrating not knowing why or how he knows certain things and won’t tell us.”

“I really am sorry, Father, Dad,” Armin apologised again. “I want to tell you everything, but… I can’t, not now.”

“It’s alright, Armin,” Spongebob replied, staying in Avior’s arms as he turned to face his son. “When the time comes, you’ll tell us everything. We’re not going to force the truth out of you in the meantime.”

“Dad…” Armin’s eyes filled with tears.

Spongebob held out his hands and Armin hopped off the bed before going to him. The paladin held him close. “We both love you very much, Armin,” he said softly. “No matter what, that will never change.”

* * *

The next morning, Spongebob awoke with Avior beside him. As he sat up, he checked the bed beside theirs and was surprised to see it empty. If Armin ever woke up before his fathers, he’d wait until they did.

Avior, catching Spongebob’s emotions, also looked over. “Wonder where Armin is,” he said.

“I dunno.” Spongebob climbed out of bed, Avior following suit. “Maybe he went to the other room?”

“Perhaps.”

Spongebob grabbed his sword and clipped it to his armour before the two went to the room across the hall. The door was open, so they entered.

“Howdy!” Liang greeted, waving. “We’re about to get some breakfast, y’all wanna join us?”

“Sure,” Spongebob replied. “Um, have you guys seen Armin lately?”

“Nuh-uh.” Liang shook her head. “Ain’t he with you two?”

“Normally he is, but we haven’t seen him since we woke up.”

“Huh.” The black belt crossed her arms over her chest. “Wonder where the lil’ guy got off to so early.”

“Meow,” Jayde said from his perch on Patrick’s bed.

“You did?” Spongebob glanced at the snail.

“Meow, meow.” Jayde used his eyestalks to gesture towards the window. “Meow meow.”

“Did you see him coming back?” Avior asked.

“Meow.”

“At least we know he’s outside,” Spongebob said. “C’mon, let’s go look for him.”

“We’ll join ya,” Liang said as she, Shipley, Patrick and Jayde joined him.

The party exited the inn and looked about. Spongebob sighed. “Guess we’ll have to split up,” he said. “I’ll check—”

“Hey, guys!” Armin waved as he turned the corner onto the street the inn was on.

“Where have you been?” Avior demanded.

Armin jogged to his fathers. “I was just looking around town, Father. Everyone was asleep, so I thought I’d—”

“You thought you’d get yourself lost?” Avior crossed his arms over his chest.

“But I didn’t—”

“Not this time, but Lastfield is a big place. It’s too easy for any of us to get lost, which is why we’d agreed to stay together. Besides, what would happen if the black wizard found you all alone?” Armin flinched, but Avior continued. “Your level’s not high enough to fight him, especially by yourself, and he could easily capture you and use you as bait.”

Armin was on the verge of tears. “I- I’m sorry, Father, I just…”

Spongebob placed one hand on Avior’s arm and the other on Armin’s. “He’s just worried about you, Armin,” he gently explained. “We all are. Because of your level, and where we are, it’s far too easy for something bad to happen to you, and none of us wants that. Next time, if you want to explore the town, make sure someone’s with you. Alright?”

“A- Alright, Dad.” Armin nodded. “I’m sorry for getting everyone worried.”

“It’s okay,” Liang said. “Ya didn’t know any better. Now, let’s go to the market for some breakfast!”

As the group headed for the market, Avior hung back, prompting Spongebob to do the same. “Something wrong?” the latter asked.

“Sometimes I wish we had a connection with Armin,” Avior replied. “You know, like the one we have. It’d certainly make things a lot simpler for us.”

“It would,” Spongebob agreed, “but it’s also impossible since he technically doesn’t exist right now. The only one he’d have the connection with is your future self.”

Avior nodded. “I can’t help but wonder what happens to our connection after you leave.”

“Like in Armin’s time?” Spongebob looked thoughtful, trying to imagine how he’d feel if he returned to Bikini Bottom without Avior. “I… I’m not sure. But that doesn’t matter, does it? I’m not leaving, so we’ll always have our connection.”

“True.”

“Besides, we don’t know what will happen when Armin is born in our time; he may end up getting the connection as well.”

“That would certainly be interesting,” Avior remarked. “But we won’t know for a long time, even after he’s born.”

“Yeah, so let’s not worry about it for now. We need to keep our focus on our fight against Zur—ah, the black wizard.”

* * *

After breakfast, the party went to a clothing shoppe to get a disguise for Shipley. He swapped out his grey-and-green ensemble for a white-and-tan outfit, and Spongebob hid the crustacean’s gold necklace in his inventory. They then left Lastfield, taking the southernmost exit they’d used the previous day to work on level grinding. It was the largest gap they had to close, and it took them three days to get there. By the end of the third day, most of their levels were at eighty-seven. Jayde’s was eighty-six, and Armin trailed behind at fifty-seven.

That evening, they gathered around the table at the inn. “I think we should take tomorrow as a day of rest,” Spongebob stated. “I know we’re all worked up about the upcoming battle; it’s the final one and it’s the hardest one yet. Right now, we don’t have a strategy, and if we don’t have anything finalised tonight, it’s okay. Now, we’ve not faced a spellcaster before, so does anyone have any suggestions on how to fight Zurnas?”

“I know it ain’t quite the same,” Liang replied, “but we should think about it almost like we were fightin’ Avior.”

The red wizard stiffened. “What?”

“I ain’t sayin’ we’re gonna fight ya,” the black belt explained, “only that you’re a wizard, too, so anythin’ that’d take the black wizard down would probably take ya down, too.”

Avior crossed his arms over his chest. “First of all, that’s extremely simplistic reasoning; wizards aren’t all the same. Second, I use _red_ magic, which is both offensive and defensive. The black wizard can only do offensive magic. The strategies to defeat either of us are entirely different.” He narrowed his eyes at Liang. “Care to find out?”

“Wh- Whoa, Avior.” Spongebob held up his hands before Liang could answer. “We don’t need to start a fight; Liang was just talking hypothetically. You are a red wizard, yes, but some of your magic is offence-based, just like Zurnas. What we need to do is think about how to disable _that_ part of your magic – again, hypothetically – and it can give us an idea on how to use it against Zurnas.”

Avior didn’t look pleased, but he nodded. “Alright, point taken.”

“So how would we go about defending ourselves against black magic spells?” Spongebob looked thoughtful.

“There’s really not much you can do,” Avior replied. “We could use items and equipment to strengthen our defence, and I can cast a buff to help out even more, but that’s about it. We’d also need items to restore status conditions caused by the spells.”

“Oh, wait. I can cast white magic, too, so I can learn some defence-boosting spells as well.”

“This ain’t helpin’ much with a strategy to actually _fight_ the black wizard, though,” Liang pointed out.

“True,” Spongebob agreed. “Shipley, you probably know Zurnas better than any of us. Do you know of any weaknesses we could exploit?”

Shipley grew thoughtful. “Well… I ain’t seen the black wizard in many a year, since I ruled Roserock. He be a crafty feller, usin’ his sharp wit and silver tongue more than his magic. We need to watch fer that just as much as we need to watch fer the spells.”

“Hmm…” Spongebob mulled over his words.

“Hold on a moment,” Avior interjected. “I know this is our last battle, but should we let Armin come with us?”

Spongebob straightened up. “No.”

“What?” Armin, who’d been quiet up to this point, stared at his fathers in shock. “But my level’s higher, Dad, why—”

“It’s still not high enough,” Spongebob replied. “Zurnas is a powerful, terrible wizard who can do all kinds of bad things, both physically _and_ with magic. I don’t want to put you in that kind of danger.”

“B- But Dad,” Armin protested, “I have to go back to my time after he’s defeated; can’t I at least go with you to watch?”

Spongebob turned to Avior. “You’d previously told us you weren’t going to participate in this battle,” the red wizard said, “so why have you changed your mind?”

Armin was caught off-guard. “Oh, uh… w- well, my level’s higher now…”

Avior shook his head. “You’re doing it again.”

“What?”

“Lying. You’re lying to us again.”

Armin frowned but kept quiet.

“I told you, you’re a terrible liar, just like Azemar.” Avior placed a tentacle on Spongebob’s head. “You need to be more honest with yourself _and_ your parents.”

Armin blew out a frustrated sigh. “Alright, fine, I won’t go.”

“Okay, so we need as many strategies as possible for Zurnas,” Spongebob said, returning the conversation to the topic at hand. “There really isn’t much we can do about the spells, only that we need to increase our defence as much as possible. Avior and I can give some defensive buffs as well. I’ll stock up on recovery items for status conditions before we go to the castle. Any ideas for offence?”

Everyone was silent, thinking over some ideas. “I should mention the black wizard be good with illusions,” Shipley said. “He can change his size and shape at any time, so many ain’t seen his true form.”

“That makes it even harder to fight ‘im,” Liang pointed out, “since we ain’t sure if we’re attackin’ the black wizard or one of his illusions.”

“Hmm…” Spongebob was thoughtful again. “Maybe we could use weaker attacks until we know we’ve hit him?”

“It’s not a good idea to get in close for that, though,” Avior replied. “I’m the only one who can use magic from a distance, so—”

“Meow,” Jayde interjected. “Meow, meow.”

“Oh! Good idea,” Spongebob said. Knowing at least one of his friends couldn’t understand the snail, he translated, “Jayde says he can summon a smaller dragon to help with the weaker attacks as well, so we don’t have to solely rely on Avior for that. It won’t drain his MP as much, either. I can stay nearby him to give him Ethers when necessary, so he can be ready to summon a bigger dragon when the time comes.”

“So Jayde and I alternate weaker attacks on Zurnas until we know we’ve hit him,” Avior repeated, “then we all attack in full force. Right?”

“Right.” Spongebob smiled as he nodded. “We don’t know how successful that will be, nor how long it will last, so we need to come up with something else.”

“I ain’t too fond of the idea,” Shipley said, “but mayhaps one of us could serve as a decoy.”

“What do you mean?” Spongebob asked.

“There ain’t much we can do when the black wizard casts a spell, right? One of us takes the attack, then the rest o’ us jumps in before the black wizard can ready another spell.”

Spongebob grimaced. “I don’t really like that idea, but it may end up becoming a last resort if the battle drags on too long.”

“There’s gonna be six of us fightin’ ‘im,” Liang put in, “and there’s only one of him, so why don’t we split up and attack from all sides?”

“Will there be guards to fight?” Avior asked, glancing at Shipley.

“Last I heard, he ain’t got any nearby,” the crustacean answered. “There be guards in front of the castle and inside it, but the black wizard’s powerful enough, he doesn’t keep guards in his receivin’ room.”

“It sounds like the black wizard also doesn’t trust anyone,” Avior said. “But we can use that to our advantage.”

“Especially since we’ve defeated his servants,” Spongebob added.

“Then that makes it easier for us to split up and attack ‘im from six different places,” Liang said. “There’s no way he can get all of us at once.”

Spongebob nodded again. “So we’ve got two strategies to work with, and a last-resort third strategy. I think that’s good enough for tonight; if anyone comes up with anything else tomorrow, let me know.”

* * *

The following morning, Spongebob was awakened when Avior gently shook him. “Wha…?” he mumbled.

“Armin’s gone again,” Avior said, putting on his hat and climbing out of bed.

Spongebob’s eyes widened as he sat up and checked the bed beside theirs. Indeed, it was vacant. “Where could he have gone now?”

“I don’t know, but I wish he’d listen to us,” Avior grumbled.

Spongebob hopped off the bed and grabbed his sword. As he hooked the weapon to his armour, he couldn’t help but notice how much Avior was starting to act like Squidward. At first, the red wizard’s behaviour didn’t match – he mostly seemed shy and distant – but the past few days had shown a change in his personality that reminded Spongebob more and more of his co-worker and next-door neighbour. On one hand, he didn’t mind, since he really liked Squidward, even with his general sour disposition. However, it also brought up a bit of concern. They were nearing the end of the game, so perhaps the world of _Iron and Sorcery_ and his home world with Bikini Bottom were growing closer together?

“C’mon, Azemar,” Avior said from the doorway. “The sooner we find Armin, the better.”

Spongebob shoved his thoughts and concerns away as he followed Avior out of the inn. He could worry about all of that later; what mattered now was finding his son.


	22. Chapter 22

“Where did he go this time?” Avior muttered as he and Spongebob ran to the end of the block. They looked around the intersection, seeing various fish milling about. There was no sign of their son.

Spongebob shook his head in disbelief. “Why would he disobey us like this? I just don’t understand.”

“It’s like Liang said, he’s a teenager.”

“But he’d behaved himself so well until recently.”

“Does it even matter right now, Azemar?”

“Well… no. Finding him is the most important thing.”

Avior looked around again. “If I was a teen who wanted to get away from my parents, where would I go…?”

“Goofy Goober’s Ice Cream Party Boat.”

“What?”

“Oh, uh… n- nothing.” Spongebob slapped a hand over his mouth. He’d blurted out the first place that came to mind, forgetting such a place didn’t exist in the game.

Avior turned his attention to the paladin beside him. “What was that you said? A… goofy goober?”

Spongebob avoided his gaze as he lowered his hand. “It’s, ah… er…”

“Something from your world?” Avior guessed. “In Bikini Bottom?”

“Er, yes, it’s, um…” Spongebob fumbled for the right words to explain it. “It’s a place to get food, and it’s very popular with kids.”

“Kids?” Avior looked confused. “How is food popular with kids?”

“It’s hard to explain.” Spongebob knew desserts like ice cream didn’t exist in the game either; the closest thing was cakes sold at the bakeries. Even then, the cakes weren’t popular with children either.

“Alright, I’ll take your word for it.” Avior’s tone was doubtful but he resumed looking around.

“Hey, there he is!” Spongebob pointed towards the fountain in the town square; Armin was circling around from behind it.

The two waited until Armin approached them. “Where did you go _this_ time?” Avior demanded.

“Uh, I…” Armin fidgeted.

“Why do you keep doing this? We’ve already told you why going on your own is a bad idea, yet you still keep doing it.”

“I’m sorry, Father,” Armin said miserably.

Spongebob thought over his son’s words and actions. “Is this more of the stuff you can’t tell us about yet?” he asked.

“Er… well, yes,” Armin admitted, still looking upset.

“When will you be able to tell us?” Avior tried to keep his anger toned down. “We’re fighting the black wizard tomorrow, and you said you’ll have to return to your time afterwards. That’s about twenty-four hours from now.”

“I know, Father, and I will tell you everything very soon. I just… I just can’t tell you yet.”

Avior shook his head. “You’re almost out of time, Armin. It’d be better to tell us now and get it over with.”

“But I _can’t_ , Father.” Armin’s eyes filled with tears. “I really can’t tell you right now, please believe me.”

“I believe you,” Spongebob said. When both Avior and Armin looked at him, he continued. “There’s still an entire day before we even have to fight the black wizard, which means there’s an entire day for Armin to come clean. We really shouldn’t try to force him to tell us everything when he’s not ready.”

Avior blew out a sigh. “Fine. I just wish you’d hurry up and tell us, Armin.”

The young mage wiped the tears from his eyes. “I will when the time is right. And thank you for believing me, Dad.”

* * *

That evening, the party gathered around the table in the inn, where they were finishing their dinner. Spongebob could hardly believe he was so close to the end of the game, which would be the start of his new life once they defeated Zurnas. However, they had to get through that point first.

“Okay, so we have a few strategies in place to use against Zurnas,” he began, getting the others’ attention. “We ought to come up with a few more, just to be safe. This will be the hardest fight we’ve ever had. It also doesn’t help that he’s the only spellcaster we’ve had to fight.” He turned to Avior. “Any ideas on disabling a spellcaster, Avior?”

The red wizard grew thoughtful. “There’s a white magic spell called Silence that prevents the opponent from casting spells. You and I can both learn that spell, Azemar.”

Spongebob nodded thoughtfully. “That’s a good idea, since it’ll mean two of us will have the chance to cast it. It’ll also put an end to Zurnas’ illusions and make it easier to fight him.”

“It won’t end the spells that have already been cast,” Avior pointed out, “but it’ll stop him from casting any more of them.”

“Right. So we’ve got the Silence spell, attacking from six points and Avior and Jayde using weaker attacks from a distance until they hit Zurnas.” Spongebob nodded again. “There’s also the last-resort tactic of using a decoy, but I’d rather we didn’t use that one. Anyone else have any other ideas?”

The room was quiet.

“It’s not much, but it’s at least something we can work with,” Spongebob said. “We’ll stock up on items and equipment tomorrow before we go to Zurnas’ castle. We should probably go to bed early so we can be well-rested for the morning.”

“Uh, Azemar?”

“Yes, Avior?”

“Could I have a word with you in private?”

“Sure.” Spongebob smiled at him before turning to Armin. “Do you mind staying in here for a little while?”

“I don’t mind, Dad,” Armin replied. “In fact, I was hoping I could take some time to study your sword. As you know, it reverted to its original form after you left in my time, so I’ve never had the chance to see it up-close after it changed.”

“Sure.” Spongebob unhooked his sheath and set it on the table before standing. “I won’t need it until tomorrow, anyway.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Armin smiled as he watched his fathers leave the room.

Avior closed the door to the second room after Spongebob had entered. The latter hopped on the edge of the bed they’d slept on the past four nights.

After a few moments, Avior spoke. “Do you remember what I’d said before, about having the bad feeling?”

“Yes… It’s still there, isn’t it?”

Avior nodded, his back to the paladin. “I don’t know why I’m so apprehensive; even with our plans backfiring in the past, we’ve always managed to win against each of the black wizard’s servants. Sure, I died in one fight and you died in another, but we were revived each time, and underwent a significant upgrade in power. And we still won. So why hasn’t that bad feeling gone away?”

“I don’t know,” Spongebob replied. “I don’t think any of us has any Phoenix Downs this time, so if anyone loses all their HP in tomorrow’s fight…”

Avior took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I can’t help but wonder about the end of the fight. You said you’re staying behind whilst Thorstein goes home, but what if you can’t stay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be able to stay? I don’t know how we even got here, so how would we know about leaving this world?” Dimly, he recalled what happened when he and Patrick were transported to the game: there was a flash of bright white light, and when it dimmed, they were inside the game. What if they left the game in the same way? He’d have no control over it, no matter how hard he tried to stay.

Avior felt Spongebob’s emotions and turned away from the door. “Something tells me you know what will happen, Azemar.” He pulled off his hat and set it on the table. “There’s a very good chance you’ll be leaving with Thorstein.”

Spongebob’s tears brimmed in his eyes. “I don’t know for sure,” he admitted, “but I don’t ever want to leave you, Avior. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love you, and I couldn’t bear to go on without you.”

“What about Squidward?”

“Huh?” Spongebob was taken aback, his tears momentarily forgotten.

“You said I look and sound like your neighbour, Squidward. How do you feel about him?”

“Um, well… I like Squidward a lot, and I like being able to help him whenever I can, but…” He shook his head, his tears returning. “You’re not Squidward, Avior; you just look and sound like him. I like Squidward, yes, but I only love _you_. And I… I…” Tears finally spilt down his cheeks as he said, “I can’t go on without you, Avior.”

The red wizard moved to stand in front of Spongebob; he gazed at the paladin for several moments before he murmured, “You may have to, Azemar.”

“But I don’t want to!” Spongebob threw his arms around Avior and sobbed. The latter wound his arms around him and held him close, certain it was one of the last times they’d be able to do so.

Avior tried to keep his overwhelming sorrow at bay – it was hard enough having to face Spongebob’s – as he spoke softly. “Azemar… I know it’ll hurt for a long time, but your pain will eventually fade, and you’ll move on.”

“No, I won’t,” came the muffled reply.

“Shh, listen. You don’t belong in this world; you and I both know it. You and your friend – Patrick, was it? – came here against your will. I’m not certain of the specifics, but whatever brought you two here will likely be replicated sometime tomorrow after the black wizard’s defeat. Since you both were brought here at the same time, and with the same cause, it stands to reason you’ll return to your world the same way. You can try to stay here all you’d like, but you’ll still be returned to Bikini Bottom.”

“B- But…”

“I don’t want it to happen anymore than you do, Azemar, trust me. If it weren’t for you, I’d probably still be wandering about the southernmost towns, lost and alone. But you showed me kindness and caring when no one else would… and then you showed me love. I’d thought my parents loved me, but when I learnt I was a red mage, they turned their backs on me. I know they were happy to be rid of me. Gezax opened my eyes to the possibilities of what I could accomplish if I left Silverbay, and I’m forever grateful that he did. But you, Azemar, you showed me unconditional love; more than I deserve, more than I could ever ask for. You brought so much light and happiness into my life, and I realised what I would do for the one I loved more than anything in the world.”

“But everything’s going to happen just like Armin said,” Spongebob pointed out. “No matter what we do, history will just repeat itself and I’ll be leaving you alone.” He sniffled. “I- I don’t want to leave you alone.”

“I won’t be alone.”

“Huh?” Spongebob raised his head.

“Remember what we were told? Although you had to leave, you decided to leave a bit of your ‘legacy’ behind, if you will.”

Spongebob’s eyes widened. “Armin…” he whispered.

Avior nodded. “As long as I have our son, I won’t ever be alone. He’ll be the reminder of the time you were here, and of the love we shared. I’ll make sure he knows how much he’s loved every day, and although he’ll never know you, he will hear about everything you’ve done for me.”

Spongebob’s eyes filled with tears again. “Oh, Avior,” he murmured. “You’re going to be in so much pain, even with Armin.”

“It’ll be the same for you, Azemar, though all you’ll have is your memories. Do you really want to go through with this?”

“Yes, I… I still want to do this. Even though I won’t have anything to remember you by, I still want to leave Armin with you. At least one of us can have the chance to raise our son.”

“And what about the black wizard?”

“He still needs to be defeated, no matter what. Thor—er, Patrick still needs to go home, too. I know he’s been very unhappy here, and I can’t sacrifice his happiness for my own. I also don’t want our son to be raised in a dangerous environment, as it would be if Zurnas continues his rule.”

“What about me?”

“Huh?”

“You said you can’t sacrifice Patrick’s happiness for your own, but you’ll be sacrificing my happiness as well as yours if you leave.”

Spongebob lowered his gaze. “No matter what I do, someone’s going to be hurt badly.”

“Then let it be us.”

“A- Avior…” Spongebob’s head shot up.

“Remember, you were never meant to be here in the first place. You were probably never meant to fall in love with me, either. So leave Armin with me, and let things be restored the way they’re supposed to be. As I said before, it will hurt a lot for a long time, but that pain will eventually fade.”

Spongebob knew the last sentence was a lie, as Armin himself had said Avior remained heartbroken for fifteen years after Zurnas was defeated. Even he knew his own heartbreak wouldn’t go away as easily as the red wizard claimed.

“Fine,” he replied sadly. “I’d wanted to change the future, to stay here with you and raise our son together, but… it can’t happen. Everything will play out exactly as Armin had said.”

“That’s right, Azemar.” Avior released his hold on him. “And there’s one thing we’ve still yet to do.”

Spongebob felt the heat rising in his face, knowing what Avior meant. “Y- Yeah… It’s time, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

Spongebob removed his headband and set it on the bed beside him. “So how does this work?”

Avior tugged off his gloves. “It’s like Armin said. While you’re reproducing, I add my magic to the process.”

“I don’t get it.”

Avior sighed. “My magic isn’t restricted to just the battlefield, you know. It’s not as strong as it is during a fight, of course, but I can do smaller spells.”

“And you can…” Spongebob trailed off.

“Yes, I can make small changes to you and the reproduction. Now, how fast can you reproduce?”

“It’s usually a quick thing, but I can slow it down if I concentrate hard enough.”

“Good, because you’ll need to go pretty slow whilst I’m casting my magic. Do you think you can do it?”

Spongebob nodded. “Of course. I want to do this just as much as you, and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure it works the way we want it to.”

Avior leaned down and kissed Spongebob. “Relax and take your time getting started; I'll be right here and will start the spell once you begin.”

“I love you, Avior,” Spongebob murmured, taking hold of Avior's hands.

“I love you too, Azemar.”

* * *

Armin tiptoed down the hall as quietly as he could; it was harder to do since he was wearing boots and had a sheathed sword under his arm. He sidled up to the door before pressing his ear to it, straining to listen. It was soft, but he could hear two voices from inside the room. After a few minutes, it got quiet, and he felt a tingle of magic coming from within.

He nodded to himself as he moved away from the door. Good, he thought. They were really going through with it.

He turned away from the door and tiptoed back the way he'd come. He waited until he’d left the inn before jabbing his right tentacle forward, bringing up a flat, blue window, much like the one Spongebob used for his inventory. There was a grey keyboard interface at the bottom of the window; he used this to type in some commands.

“I’m sorry, Father, Dad,” he whispered as he watched a small box that previously showed “0” fill up with numbers.

* * *

They gazed at the blanket-wrapped bundle on the bed. Both were exhausted - and Avior's MP was nearly drained - but that exhaustion was forgotten at the sight before them.

"I can't believe it worked," Spongebob said quietly, his arms around Avior.

"Me either," the red wizard agreed.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is."

Spongebob finally let go of Avior and gently scooped up the bundle. Sleeping in his arms was a little sponge who had the same skin colour as Avior, and tiny tentacles rested on top of the blanket. Although they were closed, Spongebob knew the baby's eyes were a dark turquoise.

"We're naming him Armin, right?" Spongebob asked.

"Of course."

The sea sponge kept gazing at the infant. "Oh, Avior," he murmured, tears blurring his vision. "He's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen."

"That's because he's _our_ baby, Azemar, my love." Avior wound his arms around Spongebob - careful not to disturb the infant, of course - and kissed the top of his head.

"Do you think we should tell the others?"

"I'm not sure," Avior replied. "They know when Armin is to be born, but only in the future."

"Since they already know, there's no reason to hide it," Spongebob pointed out.

"True... and maybe Armin would like to see how he looked when he was a new-born, too."

* * *

"My goodness," Liang breathed. "He's so tiny."

"He looks just like the one we know, too," Shipley added.

Spongebob and Avior had waited until the others woke up before revealing what they'd done. The wait gave them and the infant Armin a chance to rest, since they all desperately needed it. Spongebob had dozed with the baby in his arms, and when the former awoke, he'd been a bit surprised at the newcomer until his mind caught up. He could hardly believe what he'd done, but he also knew he wouldn't change it for the world.

"He's just so cute!" Liang gushed, holding a finger above the baby. Armin, who was awake, grasped her finger with his tentacle and gurgled.

Jayde slithered up to the baby, who was lying propped up on the bed, and purred. Armin tilted his head back to gaze at the snail, a look of wonder on his features.

Liang let Armin continue holding her finger as she looked over her shoulder at Spongebob and Avior. "So y'all really did it, huh?"

"Yes," Spongebob replied.

"And it worked the way Armin from the future said?"

"Yeah..." Spongebob looked around. "By the way, where is he? I thought he'd like to see what he looked like as a baby."

"I think he be outside," Shipley answered. "Want me to go get 'im?"

“Yes, please.”

Shipley left the room, leaving the others gathered around the bed. Surprisingly, Patrick was quiet the entire time; Spongebob made a mental note to explain things to him later.

“We’re still fightin’ the black wizard in a lil’ while, aren’t we?” Liang asked, her attention finally away from the baby.

Spongebob nodded. “After breakfast, we’ll stock up on items and upgrade all the equipment we can, then head over to Zurnas’ castle.”

“But what about lil’ Armin here?” Liang gestured to the infant, who tried to grab at her hand again.

“We’re… leaving him here,” Avior slowly answered.

“What?!” Liang’s eyes widened. “You’re leavin’ a new-born baby all alone here?”

“It’s only for a couple of hours at best,” Spongebob explained, knowing the next words he’d say were a complete lie. “Afterwards, we’ll come back here and get him.”

“Why didn’t ya wait till after the battle before doin’ this?”

“Umm…” Spongebob gulped.

“The time felt right,” Avior said. “Besides—”

“The boy ain’t here!” Shipley declared as he re-entered the room.

“Did Armin take off _again_?” Avior shook his head.

“Wait a minute…” Shipley carefully regarded Spongebob. “Where’s yer sword, lad?”

“My sword?” Spongebob patted his left side, where his sword normally hung. “Oh, I let Armin look at it last night.”

“Then why ain’t it here in the room?”

The paladin’s eyes widened as he gazed around the room. Indeed, there was no sword lying anywhere. He knew it wasn’t in his and Avior’s room either.

“B- B- But…” he sputtered.

“Maybe it’s in your inventory,” Avior suggested.

Spongebob brought up the inventory window and checked the equipment list. “No… it’s not—” He stopped himself short with a gasp. “My credits! They’re all gone!”

“So is your sword,” Avior added, “along with Armin.”

Spongebob turned towards him. “You don’t think…”

Avior nodded grimly as Shipley said, “Aye, lad, methinks the boy took yer sword and yer money, then abandoned ye.”

“B- But… But why?” Spongebob returned his gaze to the baby Armin propped up on the bed in front of him. The infant had fallen asleep, and Jayde stayed beside him, purring softly.

“I don’t know,” Avior replied, “but the only way we’ll get answers is to find him and ask him personally.”

“This be a large town,” Shipley pointed out, “and that boy could be anywhere by now.”

“He might’ve even left town,” Liang added.

Spongebob tried to fight back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. There were too many unanswered questions, and the one who could answer them all was nowhere to be found. “What do I do…?” he murmured.

Avior placed a tentacle on his head. “We go look for him,” he answered.

“But where do we even begin to look?”

The red wizard lifted his gaze to the window. “The black wizard’s castle.”


	23. Chapter 23

Spongebob pushed open the doors to the massive castle that stretched high above him. As he stepped inside, Avior kept pace beside him whilst the others followed. Jayde had volunteered to stay behind to watch the infant Armin, but Spongebob refused, knowing the beastmaster’s help would be invaluable when they faced Zurnas. They were currently at a huge disadvantage, since not only was the party leader and strongest member unarmed, they’d had no money to purchase all the necessary items and equipment upgrades prior to coming here. The plans they’d carefully laid out were mostly shot, especially the one that required Spongebob and Avior to learn the Silence spell.

The doors slowly creaked closed behind them, sending the party into pitch blackness. Spongebob immediately felt Avior’s tentacle wind around his hand, and he took comfort in the wizard’s touch. It was already hard enough to leave their new-born son behind; Spongebob was certain it was the last time he’d lay eyes on his own child. At least for now, he still had the love of his life by his side.

The castle suddenly brightened; the group squinted in the sudden light. Before them lay a maze of hallways and doors. “Where should we start lookin’?” Liang asked.

Avior closed his eyes and concentrated. “It’s difficult to say for sure, since there’s so much magic about the castle, but I believe we should go that way.” He used his free hand to point to his left.

“How can ye be so sure?” Shipley’s tone was doubtful.

“I recognise the magic Armin puts off,” Avior replied. “I can feel it coming from that direction.”

“Then let’s go.” Spongebob started walking, with the rest keeping in formation.

Avior’s directions had them going down various twists and turns, not stopping at any door. It felt like the halls and doors went on for ages; even Spongebob quickly lost track of their direction. However, no one protested as Avior continued to guide them through hallway after hallway.

At last, he finally stopped in front of a door. “This is it,” he stated. “Armin’s behind this door.”

Although his white magic was far weaker, Spongebob also got the feeling their son was there. “Should we go in?”

“Of course.” Avior let go of his hand and reached for the door’s handle. “We need answers, and he’s the only one who can give them.” He tugged open the door, which swung outwards into the hall.

Before Spongebob knew what was going on, Avior yanked him to the floor as he also ducked.

“Stop!” A familiar voice yelled.

At the same time, Avior shouted, “Protect!”

It took Spongebob a moment to realise what had happened, and he slowly raised his head. Avior knelt beside him, using his cape to help shield the paladin as a translucent shield shimmered before them. The red wizard looked down at him.

“Are you okay, Azemar?”

“Y- Yeah, but what about the others?”

Avior glanced over his shoulder. “They didn’t fare as well.”

Spongebob looked behind them at the rest of the party; all of them were frozen in place. He turned back to the open doorway, spotting a familiar figure inside the room.

“A… Armin…”

The young mage lowered his tentacle, which had been held outstretched. “I see Father is quicker on the draw than me, though that’s to be expected of the strongest wizard in the land.”

Spongebob stood as Avior’s shield gradually faded. Avior also rose to his feet as the paladin spoke. “Armin, why are you doing this? Why have you paralysed our friends?”

“The fewer opponents I have to face, the better.”

“O… Opponents? Armin, what—”

Avior marched inside the room, with Spongebob right behind him. The latter realised the room was much larger than it appeared from the hallway; it was about as big as the rooms they’d previously fought the other bosses in.

“Why did you steal Azemar’s sword?” Avior demanded, paying no heed to his surroundings.

“He gave it to me.” Armin shrugged. “I’m free to do what I want with it.”

“I thought you just wanted to study it,” Spongebob said.

“I did, in a way.” Armin patted the sheath on his right side. Spongebob realised it was his own sword; Armin’s was attached to his belt on his left side.

“It looks as though you’re done studying it,” Avior said, his tone still angered, “so return it to Azemar right now.”

Armin gave him a sly grin. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Father.” He stole a quick glance at Spongebob. “Sorry, Dad, but I’ll be hanging onto it for a little while longer.”

Spongebob’s eyes widened as realisation set in. “Armin, you… you… you’re doing this for Zurnas, aren’t you?”

Avior gasped. “Is this true?”

Armin’s smile fell. “Yeah, Dad, it’s true. I took your sword and your credits because the black wizard told me to.”

“B- But… why?” Spongebob was in complete disbelief. “Why would you do such things for Zurnas?”

“That’s none of your business, Dad.” Armin held up a hand and flicked his wrist; the door behind Spongebob and Avior swung shut, cutting them off from the rest of the party.

“We’ll make it our business if you’re doing something you shouldn’t,” Avior stated. “I know I didn’t raise you to act like this, Armin, and you’d better have a good reason for it.”

The young mage scoffed. “You think if I’m not telling Dad that I’d tell _you_ , Father?” He shook his head. “And here I thought Father was an intelligent wizard.”

Avior gritted his teeth. “Why you disobedient little—”

Spongebob grabbed his arm, silencing him. “Avior, don’t let him get to you. He’s just doing this to rile you up and cloud your judgement.”

Avior let out his breath, his expression calming. “You’re right, Azemar.”

Armin rolled his eyes. “I should’ve tried to split you guys up even more. Oh well, I did what I was told to do.”

 _And now you must do more for me_ , a voice boomed from what felt like nowhere and everywhere.

Armin flinched. “What do I have to do _now_?”

 _Destroy them_ , the voice commanded.

“Wh- What?” Armin looked up at the ceiling. “You just told me to weaken them and make it harder for them to fight you; you never said anything about destroying them.”

_Now I’m telling you to destroy them. You have two swords now, as well as your spells. You should be more than capable of defeating them. You know what will happen if you disobey me._

Armin’s gaze fell to the ground. “Yeah, I know,” he mumbled as he drew his sword.

“What are you doing?” Spongebob could hardly believe what he was seeing.

“Sorry, Dad, but I have to obey the black wizard.” Armin crouched to a fighting stance and pointed his sword at the paladin. “I can’t go against his wishes.”

The instant Armin sprang forward, Avior shoved Spongebob out of the way; the latter tumbled head over heels before coming to a stop a few yards away. He looked up just as Armin’s blade cut into Avior’s side.

Spongebob opened his mouth.

“Ice!”

The paladin gasped as a column of ice shot up from the ground, hitting Armin in the stomach and launching him to the far side of the room. He heard the faint, “Oof!” as the young mage hit the ground.

Spongebob climbed to his feet and stumbled to Avior’s side. Tears blurred his vision, but he managed to hold out his hands and stammer, “C- C- Cure.”

Avior’s hand was already pressed against his side, and at the paladin’s words, he glanced down and saw the bleeding had stopped, and the injury was mostly gone. “Thanks, Azemar,” he said.

“I- I don’t understand why Armin’s doing all this.” Spongebob blinked away his tears. “Did you…?”

“I could never do something so drastic to our son, no matter what he’s done to us.” Avior gazed at the figure in the distance; Armin was slowly climbing to his feet. “I just stalled him a bit.”

 _DESTROY THEM!_ The disembodied voice commanded.

“I’m trying!” Armin held up his sword again and ran towards his fathers. “Fire!”

His blade was enveloped in flames, and as he held out the sword, the fire shot towards the couple. Spongebob had never seen such a trick before and was too distracted as the flames came towards him.

“Azemar!” Again, Avior shoved him away a split second before the fire hit him, and he screamed in pain.

“Avior!” Spongebob hauled himself to his feet and held out his hands. “Cu—”

“Not this time, Dad!” Armin suddenly appeared before him and swiped upward with his blade.

A sharp, searing pain overtook Spongebob as he felt the sword cutting through him. Since Armin had just used a Fire spell on it, the blade was still hot, causing even more damage and pain. He had no time to react as he fell back, blood pouring from the wound across his face and head. He knew it wasn’t enough to deplete his HP, but he was too stunned to defend himself. How could his own son, his flesh and blood, raise a sword against him? How could he do this to both his fathers, who loved him dearly?

Armin stepped closer and held up his sword, the point of it facing downwards just above Spongebob’s heart. “This will… will end it, Dad.”

Spongebob gazed at his son; tears silently slipped down Armin’s cheeks.

He knew this wasn’t what Armin genuinely wanted.

“Stop!”

Armin froze in place, the sword still hovering about a foot above Spongebob. The latter took advantage of the moment and scooted away before standing. He turned towards Avior, who lowered his hand.

“A… Avior…”

“I know.” The red wizard stepped around Armin to get to Spongebob’s side. “Cure.”

The paladin felt the pain from his wound easing, and he wrapped his arms around Avior. “What’re we going to do?”

“The first thing we’ll do is get your sword back.” Avior reached over and unhooked the sheath from Armin’s belt. He then held it out to Spongebob, who wordlessly accepted it. “When the paralysis wears off, we’ll get some answers.”

Spongebob let go of Avior as he clipped his sheath to his armour. He then moved closer to Armin. “We also need to do this.” He carefully removed the sword from Armin’s hands. “I know he can still cast spells but disarming him will put him at a disadvantage.”

Avior nodded. “Good thinking.” He took a moment to gaze at their son. “I just wish—”

Armin stumbled forward, the paralysis effect over. He spun to face his fathers; neither one held a weapon to him. “D- Dad, Father…”

Spongebob set Armin’s sword on the floor beside him. “We’re not going to fight you, Armin.”

“B- But…”

“I don’t care what Zurnas says, we aren’t going to harm our son, even if you’re from fifteen years in the future. All we want are answers.”

“Dad…” Armin’s eyes brimmed with tears.

Spongebob held out his arms and Armin ran to him, sobbing. The paladin held his son close and murmured, “We still love you, Armin, no matter what. I’m sure you have a good reason for doing all of this, don’t you?”

Armin sniffled. “Y- Yeah… I guess I can tell you everything now, since I couldn’t do as the black wizard commanded. He’ll punish me as soon as we go to him.”

“Punish?” Avior looked shocked.

“He… He told me if I didn’t do as he commanded, he’d send me back to my time and prevent me from ever returning,” Armin replied. “It would completely ruin Father’s experiment… the one in my time, that is.”

Spongebob guided him to sit on the floor; he and Avior followed suit. “Why don’t you start from the beginning,” he suggested, “and tell us the entire truth.”

Armin nodded. “The truth... The truth is that Father absolutely refused to let me go to the past, no matter how much I begged and pleaded with him. I was too young, he said, and the whole reason why he'd started the time-travel research was because _he_ wanted to see Dad again. He would not be persuaded otherwise, and of course I was mad at him for it. I'd never been angry at Father before, but I felt justified in my belief that I should be the one to see Dad. I'd come from him, yet I'd never laid eyes on him in all fifteen years of my life. Why should I be denied the chance to see my other father?

“A few days before the initial test run was to be made, Father approached me again and apologised for saying no to me before. I... I thought he'd meant it, and I was happy when he offered me the chance to go in his place. But that evening, I overheard him talking to some of his colleagues - you know, the other wizards he'd convinced to help him with exploring time travel - and I found out Father was only letting me go because he wasn't really able to go. See, if he went back to the past, there would be two Aviors existing at the same time, which shouldn't be possible. The consequences of such a thing could be extremely dangerous, and with both being powerful red wizards, it wasn't worth the risk. They decided to let me go because I was the only one interested in going who wasn't a wizard. Father let me go because I was weak.

“When I realised this, I was even more angry with him. How could he think so little of me? I knew he loved Dad very much, and his heart was broken after Dad left, but I thought he loved me, too. I'd heard him tell me lots of times that I reminded him so much of Dad, and not just because I look like him. It was the way I acted and spoke that reminded him of Dad. I was repeatedly told stories of the journey they went on to defeat Zurnas, and I never tired of hearing it. I could tell how much Father loved Dad with each re-telling. To be honest, I'd considered starting my own journey from Irongrove and try to experience what my fathers had gone through.

“But when I learnt the real reason why Father was letting me go to the past, I was blinded by anger. I couldn't believe he was letting me go only because he wasn't able to. So I tried to think of something that would get him to realise I was more than just a test animal. I knew one thing I could do was find some way to hurt him in the past; he would have no idea I was responsible. I hadn't thought of anything specific, but I was sure I could come up with something when I got there.

“He sent me to the past, and I found myself here in Lastfield. It figured he'd send me to the town where I was born, but I was a long way from Irongrove, and that was the only town I'd known my entire life. I was lost. Whilst I was wandering around town, trying to find a map or something that could help me figure out where to go, I met him.

“He didn't tell me his name, but he said he was a powerful wizard, the strongest in the entire land. He asked me who I was, and when he found out I was the son of Azemar and Avior in the future, he made a deal with me. Well, I shouldn't say ‘deal’, as it was more of a threat. He told me to find my fathers and bring them to him. It wasn't just a simple delivery, either; he wanted me to find a way to drive everyone in the group apart, especially my dads. If I didn't do this, he would send me back to my own time and prevent me from ever returning. I'd thought time travel wasn't possible in this time, but he said he knew how to do it, and could ensure no one would ever be able to travel through time again. He'd single-handedly destroy everything Father had worked so hard to achieve in fifteen years.

“I couldn't let him do that, no matter how mad I was at Father.

“So I agreed. He gave me a map and directions to get to each town from Lastfield, all the way to Maplegate. We didn't know where the group was at, so it was better to take all precautions and make sure I knew how to get to each town. He also gave me a lot of credits so I could stock up on potions and Ethers, as well as upgrade my equipment, and sent me on my way.

“It was a long, tough journey. My level was so low and the monsters between towns were much stronger than me. I couldn’t battle any of them; instead, I hid and used defensive spells to protect myself until it was safe to continue. The real reason I knew about monster-eating? I learnt that myself. I laid traps for some and used my Stop spell when I was confident enough. When I reached Whiteland, I stayed there for a few weeks. There was a training facility in Skels' castle – the trapdoor you saw when you’d entered the castle – where I could work on raising my level. I snuck in there at night to train, since I knew I wouldn't be allowed inside during the day. When I was sure I was ready, I left Whiteland and went to Stormwick.

“That's where I'd discovered Starhill and saw the beauty of the stars the first night I was there. I remembered Father telling me about the place, and how he'd gone there with Dad, and I cried because I had never felt so alone. I didn't want to do as the wizard had said, and I also lost interest in getting revenge on Father. I... I wanted to go home. I realised this was why Father had told me no, because of the huge mess I'd gotten myself into. But I still wanted to see Dad, and I had to fulfil my promise to the wizard, so I left Stormwick the next day.

“Some time later, I was in Ravenwood - I still mostly avoided the monsters but tried my hand at fighting a couple of them - and was trying to find my way around the town when I heard whispers about a group of strangers who'd defeated the town's ruler. I knew I was close, so close, and I searched as quickly as I could before the strangers left town.”

“And then you found us,” Spongebob finished.

Armin nodded, his gaze downcast.

“How long have you been here, in your past?” Avior asked.

“About eleven months.”

Spongebob’s eyes widened. Armin had been in his own past many times longer than he and Patrick had been trapped in the game. It was a hard adjustment being there for a few months, but to be stuck there for nearly a year?

“Are you really fifteen, then?” Avior’s question interrupted Spongebob’s thoughts.

Armin was quiet for a few moments, still avoiding his parents’ gazes. “My sixteenth birthday is today. I know you two gave birth to me this morning, just a few hours before coming here. I left my time about a month after my fifteenth birthday.”

Spongebob was speechless. He was grateful to finally learn the entire truth about Armin’s lies, but he never imagined it was on such a scale. The poor kid had been sent to a place he’d never known, taken advantage of almost immediately and was forced to survive on his own when all the enemies were many times more powerful than he. And he’d had no one to help him the entire time; his first contact with a friendly face was just a few weeks ago, and it was his fathers.

“Armin…” As he spoke, Spongebob felt his tears running down his face. “I… I can’t believe you were alone for so long…”

Armin nodded again.

Spongebob rose to his knees and grasped Armin’s arms before drawing him close again. “Armin, my son… _our_ son. You shouldn’t have gone through what you did; I wish we could’ve been there for you a lot sooner. No matter how angry you were at your father, you didn’t deserve anything that had happened to you.”

“It’s okay, Dad,” Armin assured him. “Neither of us can change the past, even though I am in the past. A lot of bad things happened, and I made lots of mistakes, but I’ve learnt from all that. And after nearly sixteen years, I finally got to meet you, Dad.” He smiled. “That’s the greatest birthday gift I could have ever asked for.”

Avior stood and helped the other two to their feet. “I know I was short with you the past several days, Armin, but I was only worried about you. I also know, even without Azemar, I’d raise you to be a good person and to always know you’re loved. I’m sure I can speak for my future self when I say that I love you, Armin, and I couldn’t be prouder to know you’re my son. I know you’ll become a great red wizard yourself one day and accomplish many amazing things.”

Armin’s eyes shone bright with tears. “I- I love you too, Father, just as much as I love Dad.”

“And I love you as well,” Spongebob said, “and I’m glad I’m able to see what our son will be like in sixteen years. I know Avior raised you right.”

Without warning, a loud boom echoed throughout the room, causing the trio to jump in surprise. “Wh- What was that?” Armin asked as he looked around.

 _You have failed me,_ the disembodied voice from before spoke.

“Zurnas!” Spongebob looked up towards the ceiling. “Why don’t you face us, instead of hiding behind shadows and manipulating innocent people?”

_An interesting prospect, paladin, but I have a better idea._

At that moment, the door to the room swung open and Liang, Shipley, Patrick and Jayde rushed inside. “What’s goin’ on?” Liang asked. “Last I know, we were tryin’ to get inside this here room, then—”

Her words were cut off as she and the others all disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

When Spongebob got his bearings, he blinked a few times and looked around. They were standing in a vast room, much larger than the one they were previously in. Torches hung about on most columns, which offered little light in addition to the small windows on the walls.

Most of the room was engulfed in shadow, and it appeared as though a part of the shadows separated itself into a massive, black-robed figure.

“It’d be better for you to face me here,” the figure said, his voice matching the one from before.

“Zurnas.” Spongebob drew his sword. “You have some nerve, taking advantage of my son and using him against me and Avior. Are you that much of a coward?”

“Coward?” Zurnas laughed, the sound echoing off the walls. “I’m the most powerful wizard in the world, yet you call me a coward? You, some insignificant, worthless, no-name paladin?”

“I have a name, and you’d better remember it.” Spongebob raised his sword. “I’m Azemar!” He leapt forward and swung his sword at the robes. To his surprise, the blade moved through the fabric as though it was an illusion, and he stumbled forward, also passing through the robe.

He quickly gained his footing as he spun around to face the wizard. The robes shimmered for a moment before disappearing, revealing the true face of the black wizard.

Spongebob’s eyes widened as his mouth hung open.

“ _P… Plankton?!_ ”


	24. Chapter 24

The tiny figure floated several feet above the floor. He wore an outfit like Avior’s, though it was almost entirely black. His single eye narrowed at the paladin before him.

“I know not of this ‘Plankton’,” he said, “and you’d do well to address me as Lord Zurnas, just as my servants do.”

“Never!” Spongebob declared.

“Then you shall perish by my hand, you and your worthless friends.” Zurnas held up his arms and was enveloped in darkness as the black-robed figure reappeared. “Thunder!”

Lightning arced down from the ceiling.

“Scatter!” Spongebob yelled as he jumped away from a bolt.

“Get ‘im from all directions!” Liang ordered from the opposite side of the room.

“That won’t work against me,” Zurnas said. “Ice!”

“Whoa!” Spongebob narrowly missed being hit with an ice column as it shot up from the floor. He heard an “Oof!” as one of his friends was hit, though he couldn’t tell who.

“Stop!” Avior shouted.

Zurnas’ robed figure held out a hand, and the magic Avior had cast fizzled out. “That won’t work against me.”

“Then what about this?” Spongebob sprang towards Zurnas, his sword whistling through the air again.

“Fool!” Zurnas crowed as the paladin tumbled through the illusion. “You cannot hurt my illusions; you’ll have to find me within them.”

Spongebob climbed to his feet and glanced around, realising he was between Avior and Armin once again. “All our other plans are shot,” he said. “Any ideas on what to do now?”

Avior shook his head. “We’ve already taken a hit to both our HP and MP, and Armin’s here as well. We barely have any recovery items, so we need to make them last as long as possible.”

“Then we need to make sure Armin is covered by at least one of us,” Spongebob replied. “I think—”

“Thunder!”

“Yeow!” Spongebob fell backwards as he tried to dodge the attack.

Before he could think any further, Zurnas yelled, “Fire!”

“Scatter!” Spongebob shouted, not daring to see which direction the fire was headed.

“Azemar!” Avior grabbed his arm and yanked him away. A split second later, a ball of fire exploded where he’d just been standing.

“You need to watch out for yourself as well as the others,” Avior gently scolded him.

“But isn’t that what you’re here for?” Spongebob smiled.

Avior gave him a playful shove. “We need to focus on the battle.”

“Right.” Spongebob glanced around. “Where’s Armin?”

“I got ‘im, Azemar!” Liang called from somewhere in the shadowy distance.

“How’s everyone else?” Spongebob raised his voice as he spoke.

“That’s no concern of yours, paladin. Thunder!”

“Run!” Spongebob pushed Avior away at the same instant the lightning coursed through him. He screamed in pain; a moment after the lightning stopped, he fell onto the hard, stone floor.

“Azemar!” Avior’s voice seemed to come from far away as Spongebob’s ears rang.

“Ice!” Zurnas shouted.

“Fire!” Avior countered; the ice column that shot up before him melted a bit before shattering into nothing. “You forget I can do magic, too, black wizard.”

“Yes, but you can’t lay a hand on me.” Zurnas – or rather, the robed illusion surrounding Zurnas – crossed his arms over his chest. “You can strike this body all you wish, but you’ll never harm me.”

“And you’ll never harm Azemar again.” Avior held up his arms. “Thunder!”

Zurnas feigned a yawn as the lightning bolts passed through the illusion harmlessly. “What was that about not harming someone?”

Avior lowered his arms. “Uh-oh…”

“Stop!”

Zurnas spun around to face Armin, who held up a tentacle to him. His other hand gripped his sword. “You dare try such a weak spell against me?” Zurnas demanded. “If your wizard father couldn’t hurt me, you certainly cannot, either.”

“I can try,” Armin replied. “Fire!”

Zurnas calmly stepped to the side as the fireball shot past him; Patrick gasped and ducked just as the flames shot over his head and hit the wall behind him. “Sorry, Thorstein,” Armin called.

“We need to attack all at once again,” Liang said. “One of us is bound to hit the lil’ guy.”

Zurnas snorted. “I’d like to see you try.”

“Heee-YAAAH!” Liang leapt towards the black wizard, her foot extended.

“Fire!” Avior shouted at the same time Spongebob jumped forward.

Patrick threw his axe with all his might; on the opposite side of the room, Shipley and Armin leapt forward with their blades swinging. Jayde concentrated a moment, and a dragon appeared to join the fray.

“Is that really the best you have?” Zurnas held out his arms. “Thunder!”

Screams echoed throughout the room as each party member was hit with the lightning. Those who’d jumped towards the black wizard now fell to the ground.

“This is getting pointless,” Zurnas stated. “You honestly think the seven of you can defeat me with your pathetic strategies? You may as well crawl back into whatever hole you came from, because all you’re doing is boring me.” He turned to face one of them. “And you, Shipley, I expected better from you. I thought you were content with ruling Roserock; why do you think I gave you that town?”

Shipley shook his head as he slowly climbed to his feet. “I appreciate you givin’ me Roserock, but I can’t be lettin’ ye go on with everythin’ ye have been doin’ besides that.”

“Oh?”

“Aye. Just look at the way your other servants be rulin’ their lands; Tren even admitted she’d killed the previous ruler of Ravenwood. That’s wrong.”

“So your answer was to kill _her_?” Zurnas countered.

“Uh…”

“You think I’ve let this land go to ruin or something?” Zurnas shook his head. “I’m surprised at you, Shipley. Didn’t you once look at each town when you went there? Did you _see_ anything bad happening? No. In fact, there’s been nothing but peace since I took over as ruler. Yet you and your little friends have slaughtered my servants in cold blood when they did nothing to any of you.”

“The monsters,” Spongebob gasped, trying to sit up. Avior rushed to his side to help.

“What’s that?” Zurnas turned around to face the paladin.

“The monsters,” Spongebob repeated. “Armin told us in the future, there are no monsters between towns. You’ve been defeated in his time, and the monsters went away. That means when you took over, you brought the monsters to attack anyone who travelled between towns. I’d say that’s a bad thing that happened.”

“You also lied to me.” Armin used his sword as a brace to help him stand. “You manipulated me into deceiving my own parents and doing bad things behind their backs. I love both Father and Dad very much, and it hurt me to have to keep doing those things.” He held up his sword as he blinked back tears. “You may say there’s been peace, but you’ve hurt a lot of people along the way.”

Zurnas blew out a sigh. “You realise I did that because you’re weak, right, kid?”

Armin’s eyes widened. “Wh… What?”

“Yes, you were a weak fool who came to this town, wandering around without a care in the world. I thought it would be amusing to see how far I could push you, since you were too naïve, just like your paladin father.” He pointed at Spongebob. “It was easy to make you think I could send you back to your time and prevent you ever returning.”

“Y- You mean… you _lied_ to me about that?” Armin found it hard to breathe. “You really _don’t_ have the power to do that?”

“Of course not,” Zurnas scoffed. “Time travel’s impossible. I’m sure you’re really not from the future either; you only say so to keep from getting killed by stronger people.”

This time, Armin didn’t try to hold back his tears. “Y- You lied to me… You hurt me… and you hurt my parents…”

“So what?” Zurnas shrugged.

“So you die!”

Surprised, the black wizard turned just as Spongebob’s sword sliced through the illusion. However, instead of the blade harmlessly passing through, the image of the large black figure flickered and disappeared, leaving the real Zurnas hovering in mid-air. He gaped at Spongebob in shock as the paladin landed on the ground nearby and skidded to a stop.

“Dad…” Armin wiped the tears from his eyes. “Your sword…”

Spongebob glanced at the sword in his hands. At first, he didn’t notice anything different, but a light caught his attention: the dark turquoise gem at the base was glowing. All three gemstones were lit.

His eyes widened. “The third gem…” he murmured.

“You got lucky that time.” Zurnas frowned as he held up his arms. “You won’t be so lucky a second time!”

“I don’t think so,” Armin said, holding up a tentacle. “Silence!”

Zurnas gasped as the dark energy that had surrounded him fizzled out. He dropped to the floor, letting out an “Oof!” as the wind was driven out of him.

Spongebob turned to his son. “A… Armin…”

The young mage lowered his gaze. “Sorry I didn’t tell you about it before, Dad; I didn’t want you to know I already knew the Silence spell. I’d kept quiet about it because it was supposed to be a trump card during our fight earlier. I hope you’re not mad at me.”

“Mad? How could I be mad at you?”

When Armin looked back up at his dad, he was surprised to see Spongebob smiling warmly at him. “I couldn’t be prouder of you, Armin. You’re thinking like a knight, saving the best moves for when it’s truly needed, and not giving away your strategy. You may be a red mage, but you’ve also got the makings of a knight.”

Armin also smiled. “Dad…”

“I hate to interrupt this happy moment,” Avior called from the other side of the room, “but we still have a black wizard to defeat.”

“And your little spell won’t last forever,” Zurnas added. “In fact, I can feel it wearing off already.”

Spongebob spun around to face the tiny wizard. “Then we’ll just have to take you down before it wears off completely.” He raised his sword.

Zurnas grinned and held out his arms. “Thunder!”

Lightning raced down from the ceiling and struck Spongebob’s sword, then shot down and throughout his body. All he could do was scream as pain coursed over him, and he hoped his HP hadn’t depleted as he crumpled to the ground.

“Azemar!” Avior took a step forward.

“I don’t think so.” Zurnas turned towards the red wizard. “Ice!”

Avior was taken by surprise as a sheet of ice rose before him; he was used to seeing columns or spears of ice. He squinted through the translucent wall, keeping both Spongebob and their son in his sight as he frantically tried to come up with a strategy.

Armin, meanwhile, stared in shock at his unconscious dad lying before him. His own strategy had failed, since he’d unintentionally kept Spongebob distracted whilst they’d had a chance to hurt Zurnas. “D… Dad…” he murmured, feeling his tears returning.

“Now, all that’s left is to get rid of you.” Zurnas returned his attention to the young mage. “You made a big mistake, revealing your entire hand to me the moment we met. And now, I’m going to put an end to all this nonsense.” He held up his hands, and black energy surrounded him.

“Armin!” Avior shouted, slamming his fists against the ice. He’d never felt more helpless.

“SILENCE!”

Zurnas gasped once again as his magic disappeared.

Armin placed his left tentacle against the flat of his sword, which he held in his right hand. “Thunder!” Electricity coursed over the blade, and he pointed it at Zurnas. The bolts of lightning shot across the room and hit the black wizard; he yelled in pain as he was electrocuted.

Armin dropped to his knees in front of Spongebob. “Dad, please wake up.” He held out a hand. “Cure.”

White energy surrounded Spongebob, and a moment later, his eyes fluttered open. “Wh… What…”

Armin shook his head. “We don’t have a lot of time, Dad; you and Father need to finish this.” He used his sword to point in the direction of Zurnas.

Spongebob’s eyes widened as he sat up. “Armin, look.”

The young mage followed his dad’s gaze to his sword; all three gems were softly glowing. “D- Dad, wh- what… how…”

Spongebob held up his own sword, where the three gems were still lit. “You got yours to glow like mine.”

“B- But…”

A sound like shattering glass came from the other side of the room; when the two turned to look, they saw Avior no longer imprisoned. Instead, large chunks of ice lay at his feet. “The black wizard’s paralysis is about to wear off!” he called out.

Spongebob waved him over. “Join us for our final attack.”

Avior complied, dashing to Spongebob’s side. “This is it, Azemar.”

Spongebob nodded and glanced at their son. “Ready, Armin?”

Armin took a deep breath and held out his sword. “I’m ready, Dad.”

“Protect!” Spongebob said as he leapt forward.

“Fire!” Flames surrounded Armin’s sword as he joined his dad.

“Fire!” Avior shouted from behind them.

Zurnas shook himself, the last of the paralysis finally gone. He looked up to see a paladin and a sword-wielding red mage flying towards him; a giant ball of flame came from between them. “Oh no…” he muttered.

“Yaaaaaah!” Spongebob yelled as he and Armin swung their swords with all their might.

At the same time the swords struck, Avior’s fireball also hit the black wizard. Zurnas gave one last shriek before he vanished.

Spongebob’s feet hit the floor at the same time as his son; they both gazed at the spot where the black wizard had stood just moments before.

“He’s… gone.” Armin’s voice held a note of disbelief.

Spongebob nodded slowly. “We… We did it, didn’t we?”

The two felt a hand on their shoulders. “We all did it,” Avior said.

Armin gazed at his fathers, tears in his eyes again. “I’m very sorry for everything I’ve put you through, Dad, Father.”

Spongebob shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, Armin. We all make mistakes; what’s important is that we learn from them and make sure it won’t happen again. Besides, you didn’t know any better, since you weren’t prepared for anything when you came to this time.”

“Y- Yeah…”

“Hey, where are the others?” Avior looked around.

“We’re here, Avior,” Liang replied, emerging from the shadows with Shipley, Patrick and Jayde. They all looked hurt, but none the worse for wear.

“Is everyone okay?” Spongebob asked.

“It’ll take more ‘n that to take us down, boyo,” Shipley answered.

“We figured it’d be better to stay outta the way when the black wizard got all of us at once,” Liang added. “It’s harder to hit what ya can’t see.”

Shipley gazed at the burnt ground at Spongebob’s feet. “So Zurnas really be gone?”

“Yeah… and that ends our quest.” Spongebob looked at each of his companions, certain his time with them was nearly over.

“Well, we can stay together a lil’ longer,” Liang said. “After all, we gotta get outta this here castle ‘n all.”

Armin shook his head. “I have to return to my time now.”

Spongebob felt a jolt of pain in his heart at the realisation. Armin had travelled with them for only a few weeks, but he’d grown accustomed to having his teenage son at his and Avior’s side. “But… But…”

Armin faced Spongebob and gazed at him for several long moments. “Even if you aren’t there in my time when I go back, I’m still incredibly happy I got to meet you, Dad. Father was right when he said I’m so much like you.”

“B- But Armin…”

Armin reached into his pocket and produced a pendant. “You’ll always have me with you, Dad, remember? I’m the baby you had this morning, and I’m exactly where you left me at the inn, waiting for your return. In sixteen years, this is what I will look like.”

Spongebob wrapped his arms around his son and hugged him. “Armin… I love you so much. I’m glad Avior and I had you because you’re the greatest thing to ever happen to us. I am so proud of you and I know you’ll grow up into a fine young man.”

“I love you too, Dad, and I hope I’ll see you when I go back to my time.”

Spongebob reluctantly let go of his son. “I… I hope so, too,” he managed to reply as he swallowed back his tears.

Armin turned to his other parent. “I’m also glad I got to see you when you were younger, Father.”

Avior knelt and embraced his son. “I’m glad I got to see you as well, Armin. I know I raised you right, and I’m just as proud of you as Azemar is. When you return to your time, give Gezax my regards from the past.”

“I will, Father.” As Avior let go of him, Armin held up the pendant. “This will return me to the time about ten minutes after I left, so I’ll be seeing you shortly.” He glanced at Spongebob. “Farewell, Dad.”

Spongebob waved. “Goodbye, Armin.”

Armin pressed a button on the pendant, and he disappeared in a flash.

Avior moved to Spongebob’s side. “Azemar.”

Spongebob couldn’t hold back his tears anymore; he wrapped his arms around Avior and sobbed. The red wizard wordlessly wound his arms around Spongebob and held him close.

“Why’s Azemar so upset?” Liang asked, stepping forward. “Ain’t your baby back at the inn? Y’all will see Armin as soon as we get outta here.”

Avior looked down at the paladin in his arms. He debated if he should tell the rest of their party the truth, though he was sure they’d find out in a short while. “Er, we will see our baby in a little while,” he finally answered, “but it’ll be a long time before we’ll see him as a teenager.”

Liang nodded thoughtfully. “That’s true, and he probably won’t end up the same as the Armin we just saw.”

“And we still need to get outta this castle,” Shipley added. “There’s no tellin’ what will happen if we keep stickin’ around here.”

“Good point.” Avior returned his attention to Spongebob. “C’mon, Azemar, we need to go.”

Spongebob released his hold on Avior and wiped the tears from his eyes. “Y- Yeah.”

He and Avior hung back as Shipley took the lead. “I think there be a door on the far side of the room,” the crustacean stated as the others followed him through the darkness. After a few moments, he placed his claws on a wall and felt around. “Hmm… aye, there it be.”

He pushed open the door; bright light shone from the other side, causing the group to squeeze their eyes shut. When their eyes adjusted, they each stepped through, with Spongebob and Avior taking up the rear.

To their surprise, they stood in a vast room constructed from marble. There were a few statues dotted throughout the room, and at the far end rested a marble throne. The room was very well-lit, allowing for no shadows; it was a stark contrast to the room they were just in.

Spongebob stepped forward and squinted at the throne, realising a person was seated on it. As the person rose, he gasped. “King Neptune?”

The ruler of the seas approached the party, though his gaze only rested on the paladin. “Spongebob,” he greeted.

“H- How did you know…?”

“You don’t belong here,” Neptune stated, “and neither does your friend, Patrick.”

“How did you find us?” Spongebob asked.

“I wasn’t able to, not at first,” Neptune explained. “In fact, I wasn’t aware you two were gone. With your fight just a while ago, I realised something was amiss; you two aren’t supposed to have such powers at your disposal. It didn’t take me long at all to find you here, and now you two can come back home.”

“Really?” Patrick stepped forward, tossing his shield and axe on the floor. “We can finally go home?”

“Yes.”

Spongebob’s heart froze. “No,” he whispered.

“I’m bringing you both back home,” Neptune stated, “and will ensure this will never happen again.”

“No…”

“Come.” Neptune held out a massive hand, and Patrick climbed on board. “You too, Spongebob.”

“No, I won’t go!”

Neptune raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Spongebob didn't answer right away, not sure how much he should say. Instead, he turned towards the rest of his party, who had been watching the entire scene with a mixture of fear and awe.

"Avior..."

The red wizard immediately moved to stand before him. "Azemar... no, it's Spongebob, isn't it?"

"I'll be Azemar as long as you want me to," Spongebob replied, tears blurring his vision. “And I’m staying here with you.”

Avior’s gaze softened as he took hold of Spongebob’s hands. “But you don’t belong here, remember? You and Patrick need to return to your world… to Bikini Bottom.”

“No!" Spongebob could feel his tears spilling down his face. "I don't want to go home... not if it means I have to leave you behind."

"Azemar..." The red wizard gazed at the paladin for several long moments; both could see the pure love they shared in each other's eyes. Avior knelt, still holding Spongebob's hands. "I'd love nothing more than to have you stay here with me... but it's not meant to be. You don't belong here; if you stay, bad things may happen here... catastrophic things that could destroy all worlds. We need to keep the balance and make sure everyone is in their proper world."

"B- But Avior," Spongebob sniffled, "I- I..."

"I know you do," Avior murmured, "and so do I. I always will."

Spongebob tried to say something, but Avior pulled him close and pressed their lips together. The paladin wrapped his arms around the red wizard as tears streamed down his face and poured all the love he possibly could into the kiss. He knew it would be the final time he'd be able to do this, which saddened him even more.

As soon as they broke apart from their kiss, a loud sigh was heard from behind him. "I had a feeling there was a reason why you refused to leave," Neptune muttered. "But you really can't stay here any longer, Spongebob. This world is already beginning to crumble."

Spongebob stiffened. "It is?"

"Yes." Neptune grabbed him by the back of his armour and pulled him from Avior's arms.

"Avior!" Spongebob screamed, holding out his hands.

"Azemar!" Avior stood and held up a gloved tentacle.

Spongebob felt his tears returning, pouring down his face with a vengeance. "Avior, I love you!"

"I love you too, Azemar!"

To his surprise, Spongebob saw tears streaming from Avior's eyes, a first for him. He fought to free himself, but Neptune's grip was firm. The paladin sobbed as Avior and the rest of his party gradually disappeared from his view. Soon, he, Patrick and King Neptune were the only people around.

Spongebob, still dangling from Neptune's fingers, and Patrick watched as they were lifted higher and higher above the world they'd spent the past several months in. True to Neptune's word, they could see the outer fringes of the land crumbling to oblivion. Soon the entire world would cease to exist, which caused Spongebob to start crying again. He knew he'd never see his beloved red wizard again, nor their son.

Within moments, they were enveloped in a flash of white light, forcing the two to squeeze their eyes shut. Once the light dimmed, they found themselves standing in Spongebob's living room, with Neptune nowhere to be found. They were both dressed in their normal clothes, and no stats hung above their heads. The game console was still attached to the TV, but the lid was open, and a disc lay on the floor in front of it. Spongebob rushed to the console and scooped up the disc; it was broken in two, and the logo for _Iron and Sorcery_ was printed on its surface.

Spongebob sank to his knees, his tears returning yet again as he cried. "Avior..." he murmured through the tears. "Avior... Avior..."

Patrick placed a hand on his best friend’s head. "You okay, Spongebob?"

"No, I'll never be okay." He let out a sob. "I loved him, Patrick, I really did. A- And now, he's..." He broke off, crying.

Patrick patted his head. "I didn't know you liked Avior that much," he admitted. "I thought it was like how you really like Squidward. I... I'm sorry, buddy."

Spongebob shook his head slowly. "That whole world is gone, and Avior... oh, my love, my dear, sweet Avior..." He clutched the broken disc as his tears continued to fall.

Patrick, caught up in his friend's sorrow, tried to hold back his own tears. He didn't think he'd ever seen Spongebob this upset, even when he'd thought Gary had left him. The starfish wrapped his arms around Spongebob and gave him a reassuring hug. "It's okay, Spongebob—”

"No, it's not," came the automatic response.

"It will be," Patrick said as he released his best friend. "I know it hurts a lot right now, but the hurt will soon go away. And you have your memories of the game, right? So you can remember Avior that way."

Spongebob sniffled. "But it won't bring him back to me."

"No, but maybe he will come back someday, in a way you won't expect."

At Patrick's words, Spongebob looked up at him. That statement seemed awfully intellectual for Patrick, who only wore a vacant expression. "Pat..."

"Well, I'm gonna go home now." Patrick yawned and stretched. "I'm tired."

Spongebob wiped his tears away and rose to his feet. "I'll get the door." Still holding the pieces of the disc, Spongebob moved to his door and opened it, allowing Patrick to exit first.

"Thanks, buddy, see ya later."

"Bye, Patrick." Spongebob stood outside his house and watched his best friend head to the end of the walkway before turning right to head to his rock two houses down. Movement from next door caught his attention, and he turned to see the front door of the moai house open. His neighbour stepped outside, and Spongebob spoke before he had a chance to think about it.

"Hi, Avior!" he called.

The octopus didn't look up from the newspaper he was retrieving from his walkway. "What is it?"

Spongebob felt as though his heart stopped for several seconds. "A... Avior...?"

Squidward finally turned in his direction and hiked an eyebrow. "What's an 'Avior'?" he asked.

The sea sponge was unable to reply.

Squidward scoffed. "Weirdo," he muttered as he turned back to his house and stepped inside before closing the door.

_Maybe he will come back someday, in a way you won't expect..._

**Author's Note:**

> Please do not critique or leave negative comments/criticism, thanks


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